A Tale of 5 Kingdoms
by Iluvnintendo
Summary: Mario gets married, Bowser has a good plan, the chancellor dies, a new knight poses some problems... What more could you ask for? Read it, what have you got to lose? I UPDATE WHENEVER I HAVE FREE TIME. Please email me with comments! (If you email me I wil
1. Chapter 1

A Light from Above  
  
In a time of darkness, two sets of golden lights shone on. In the land of Hyrule, the Triforce had been found once more and evil banished. Seeing the end of his need, the Hero of Time left the world using a wish from the Triforce. In the Mushroom Kingdom all hope seemed lost. The queen of the Toads sought solace from the troubles and prayed to the stars for a hero to come that was worthy. A plumber and his brother appeared and saved her kingdom, but the stars had not sent these two. Away on the island of Delphino, their hero has waited for his hour to come. That hour is now.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
The beautiful, somewhat shy princess of the Mushroom kingdom was sitting on the throne, ending her first week as queen, and feeling somewhat happy today. It has just donned on her... no longer would she ever be called Peach, or Princess Toadstool; she was now only referred to as Queen Avalon, her birth name. This brightened the gloominess she felt in her heart.  
  
How she hated her old nicknames! They seemed childish, and disrespectful now that she thought about it. They had been laid to rest, along with the kind, yet strict Chancellor. She really hoped she wouldn't disappoint her people. She knew that having unhappy people in her kingdom was asking for nothing but trouble.  
  
She felt guilty about her happiness, and sighed deeply, as she crossed her hands delicately in front of her green velvet dress. A toad, whom happened to be sitting next to her in a small chair, glanced at her, concern in his eyes.  
  
"You look unhappy, your highness. Is there anything you want to talk about?" He questioned, as he tilted his head. He was one of her advisors, a kind toad a few years older than her. She had known him all of her life and could trust him completely.  
  
She shook her head, and smiled. "I'll be just fine, don't worry. I just have a lot on my mind right now."  
  
The toad bowed his head respectfully. "As you should. Being queen isn't nearly as carefree and easy as being princess." He chirped. "But all the while you were growing, your leadership qualities were noticeable, and everyone has faith in your ruling because of it. Believe in yourself like we all believe in you."  
  
She smiled as brightly as she could, and looked straight ahead, at the ivory clock on the wall above the doorway. "So, then, when is Daisy's wedding? I was hoping to take a trip to see Mallow before then... " She questioned the same toad.  
  
"A week and a half away." He replied. "And remember, you leave for your combat training in three days. If you wish to visit Mallow's kingdom before you leave, perhaps you should leave soon; tonight might be your best choice. Otherwise, see him when you return."  
  
She nodded, deciding she would phone him, and ask if tonight was okay for her to arrive at his palace. The phone was on a small mahogany stand next to the throne she sat in, so she simply reached over and picked it from the receiver. After dialing Mallow's number, and chatting for a moment, he was happy to hear that his dearest friend was coming for a visit. He loved Avalon very much, and looked forward to seeing her.  
  
She went upstairs to take a shower, and then pack. She folded her favorite pair of pajamas; white spaghetti strap top with orange piped straps and bottom, and a happy mushroom in the center. The pants were an orange pair with the same pattern of mushrooms. She hummed a little song to herself, as she folded a few pairs of panties, brassieres, and outfits. She would be glad to get away for a few days. It was so boring here, and she missed her friends. She hoped that Booster and Bow would pop by and visit while she was at Mallow's. Bow was somewhat nervous visiting the queen at her palace, because Luigi was often around with his magic vacuum on his back. Booster visited on rare occasions, because his home was so far away. He lived just a few minutes walk from Mallow, and was often spending time there.  
  
"Hiya little sis!" The doors flew open, and Avalon's sister bounced into the room. She always wore tight, short dresses, and flaunted herself, even though she wasn't very attractive. At one time, Daisy had been very beautiful, but that was before four children, and an extra hundred pounds. "How are things?"  
  
Daisy had recently lost her kingdom; all her people had revolted, so Daisy was now staying with Avalon. She had fallen on hard times, and it was mainly because of her wilder days. Avalon tried to be kind, but she found it hard sometimes, because of the way her sister treated her, and those around her.  
  
Avalon faked a smile. "I guess I'm okay." She replied. "How are you?"  
  
Daisy shrugged. "Eh... I'm fine." She replied. "Heard you're going to Delfino Island to learn some defense moves from some weirdo." She paused. "I thought you were done training? You passed Geno's lessons, and he even told you that you were off the hook!"  
  
Avalon shrugged. "Well, to be honest, I like to learn new defense moves. Geno said I was good, and suggested that I move ahead with another trainer."  
  
Daisy sat down in a chair. "Well, I was never good at things like that. I guess I was always better at hunting."  
  
Avalon thought to herself, 'What does she hunt? Men?' but didn't wish to start a fight, so she kept her mouth shut, and tied the last of her bags closed. "So, your big day is only a few weeks away..." She began.  
  
"Yeah, weird, huh? Mario says he can't wait to see me in my dress."  
  
Avalon smirked. "That name isn't common in this world. When will I meet him?"  
  
Daisy exclaimed, "Oh you have! Luigi and Wario's brother!!" She replied. "Didn't you know he was my groom?"  
  
Avalon's stomach started to feel queasy as she realized that Daisy was marrying one of her ex boyfriends. Avalon turned to look at her sister. "You're marrying him to get back at me, aren't you??" She demanded.  
  
Daisy shrugged. "You don't know what you are talking about. I'm marrying him because... I love him, and so do the children!"  
  
Avalon knew that she had to let it go. Mario was history to her. She glanced at the clock again. "I have to go now, I guess I'll see you at the wedding?" She questioned.  
  
Daisy nodded vigorously. "I have to go anyway." She announced, as she skipped out of the room. Avalon watched her leave, and was happy to do so. Seemed like she liked her sister more when she wasn't around. Upon seeing Daisy leave, a Koopa with a red shell and red shoes walked in.  
  
"If you're ready to leave, then I can help with your bags."  
  
She nodded. "I would appreciate the help." She put one bag over each shoulder, and he took the other two. She would be leaving for Delfino Isle straight from Mallow's house, so she had to pack plenty. Tonight would be a night of useless chatter. Mallow wasn't really the type of friend she could confide in; he spaced out whenever she tried to talk to him about anything serious. Tonight they would chat about nonsense. She truthfully wished Geno was back. He always listened to her problems and offered sound advice.  
  
Mallow happily fluffed the pillows in the guest room, and Booster sat in a chair, moping. Bow was dusting a golden statue of Geno, and when she finished, she turned to another one, of a handsome prince-like figure in an outfit identical to Geno's. Both he and Geno held grand-looking swords. "Who's this?" Bow questioned. "He's very attractive."  
  
Mallow exclaimed. "It's Geno's friend. He's probably another guardian of star road or something. All I know for sure is that my dad has Geno's autograph, and is offering one million gold for this other guy's signature."  
  
Bow sighed. "He's a nice looking guy. He probably wants to marry somebody... human, I'm sure. Someone drop-dead gorgeous, super-model quality, with big breasts and a tiny waist, a trophy bride."  
  
Booster sniffled. "My bride... Valentina... she was my trophy bride... even though her breasts were fake, I loved them... she ran away from me! She found out that... I'm not wearing a mask! THIS IS MY FACE!" He screamed. "Why did she LEAVE ME?" He cried in despair.  
  
"Because you whine, of course." Avalon entered the room, and the cloud person who helped her with the bags placed them in the closet gently, and made for the exit. She stopped him, gave him a tip, and he left smiling. "How has everyone been?"  
  
Bow shook her fan to remove the dust from it. "I've been wonderful. How have you been?" She questioned, as she made her way to greet Avalon with a friendly kiss on the cheek. "I heard that you are going for more training. I'm happy for you."  
  
"I've been alright. A little stressed, but other than that, I'm fine. My sister's getting married." She announced.  
  
Booster chuckled. "And who's the unlucky man?"  
  
Avalon hung her head for a moment, and then raised it confident. "Mario."  
  
Mallow and all of the others gasped. "You must be joking! But you two broke up only two months ago!?"  
  
She nodded slightly. "Yes, but I have no feelings for him, and he has none for me. The only feeling I have for him is pity. My sister is not wife quality. She was born in a palace, and living in that tiny little house with Mario will drive her to the brink of insanity. She cannot cook or clean, and I guarantee that they will be divorced within a year."  
  
Booster asked, "Where have her children been? How have they been?"  
  
"Visiting their father." She replied. "he doesn't want the children out of his custody. Seems like Daisy isn't that good of a mother. She tries, but she wasn't really prepared for quintuplets."  
  
A servant walked in with a tray of tea, and cookies. She sat it on a chair, and hurried out. Mallow nodded. "Speaking of marriage, my parents are off trying to find me a bride." He announced. "I don't want them to find me a wife. I don't even want to get married for another ten years."  
  
Bow nodded. "Yes, I understand how you feel exactly. I am five hundred years old, and I still want to wait another fifty years at least."  
  
"My situation is a bit different. I'm only seventeen! By our standards, I am a child still. The only reason they want me to take a queen is so that they can leave Nimbus Land, travel the world, and know I won't be lonely."  
  
Booster hung his head. "I wish I could get married again. I'm very lonely. My bed is cold without my wife..." The others knew better than to say anything. Poor booster was quite emotional, and they didn't want to get into it with him. The best thing to do was simply ignore him, and hope that he got over it on his own. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
The trip seemed short lived, and before she realized it, she was boarding her jet to Delfino Isle. Mallow and the others weren't invited to the wedding, so they wouldn't see her for quite awhile. She said goodbye to them all, and buckled into her seat. She didn't mind flying to Delfino isle. She visited there at least once a year, during the summer. It was her favorite place to rest, and relax. But this time, there would be little time for her to do so.  
  
A green bird let out a shrill chirp and took flight, landing on a palm tree leaf, and twitching his tail happily. Avalon ran along the beach in her silver flip flops, and pink bikini, soaking up the warm sun. Her teacher was going to meet her out here in one hour, and she wanted to get a little bit of fun in before her studies began.  
  
A few sandpipers were digging for worms on the northern end of the beach. She saw them, and didn't wish to frighten them, so she returned to her chair under a palm tree higher up on the beach, and took a sip of her margarita. From the time on her watch, the trainer would meet her in fourty five minutes, so she returned to her beach house, changed, and returned to the outside again.  
  
When she returned to the beach, a being in a black robe with a gold sash stood silently on a dune. She figured that it was her sensei, so she approached the figure, and soon realized that he was a shyguy, with an angry mask. He looked quite frightening, but she felt no fear.  
  
"Are you my sensei?" She questioned, as she looked at the figure, confused.  
  
He let out a chuckle. "No, I am his number one student, Deadly Guy. Nice to meet you." He shot out his gloved hand, waiting for her to shake it.  
  
She took his hand. "You looked very frightening, but you're a nice guy."  
  
He laughed, and shuffled the sand under his feet. "I have heard many wonderful things about your combat skills. I hear Geno trained you, and that itself is a marvel. That is why I am kind to you. I have respect."  
  
She blushed slightly. "You've heard of Geno in this area, then?"  
  
"Our sensei happens to be Geno's very best friend. Our master trained in star haven before he came to the island. Geno is held in high regard, and for a girl to have passed his training is something else, especially a princess who led a sheltered life." He thought that his comments might be slightly offensive, so he decided to shut up.  
  
"I'm going to take that as a compliment. Now when do I meet my new teacher?"  
  
"He should be coming soon."  
  
An awkward silence fell over the pair, and Avalon wondered why the master was so late. He was late by twenty minutes.  
  
"Is the sensei always this late?" She questioned, feeling slightly impatient. "I came to learn combat, not to wait around for him to arrive."  
  
Deadly guy thought, before he spoke. "He is always punctual, unless the tide isn't in his favor."  
  
She wondered what the little shyguy meant, but decided to ignore the comment, and continue waiting, trying to be patient. She had a sword at her side, and she unsheathed it, and examined it. It was a beautiful one made of steel and precious gems. Geno had given it to her when they started training. The handle was carved of ivory, shaped like a cluster of various sized stars, with precious stones of all different colors set into random places upon it. The blade was made of steel with a message from Geno himself carved in the blade. It was written in the language of the star spirits, so she couldn't read it. She put it back in its place at her side.  
  
The sensei finally did arrive, and he was in a green robe with a golden sash. His favorite sword hung by his side, and it was apparent it was his favorite by the worn handle of leather.  
  
"I apologize for my tardiness." He announced. "The blooper I surfed on to get here was being very slow." He remarked, as he looked her over. "You must be joking... you're the experienced sword fighter I heard so much about? The one Geno raved about? Where's your sword, then?"  
  
She smirked, and unsheathed her sword again, holding it in her palms. "My appearance is deceiving and my sword is right here. I am Queen Avalon of the Mushroom Kingdom. I have been looking forward to our meeting for the last few weeks."  
  
Her sensei had chin length locks of beautiful blonde hair, and blue eyes, a few shades darker than her own. He was quite handsome. "I am your sensei indeed. I try not to be on a first name basis with my students, but since Geno speaks so highly of you, my name is Link, and you may call me that."  
  
She bowed her head. "Nice to meet you, Link."  
  
He did the same. "Nice to meet you too, your majesty. Is it true that you passed Geno's training in three weeks?"  
  
"Please call me Avalon, and yes, I am a very quick learner."  
  
The shyguy nodded his head. "Where are your bags?" he questioned the young queen.  
  
"Back in my beach house. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Because you should fetch them. You will be staying at master Link's house for your first two days of training, for evaluation."  
  
She seemed surprised. "I wasn't told of such a thing!" She seemed nervous.  
  
"As a warrior, you must be prepared for anything." Link replied, with a slight smile. "Go pack your things. We will wait here."  
  
She hurried off, thinking that he was nice, but a bit cocky. As she entered the beach house, one of the toads attacked her.  
  
"Done for the evening, your majesty?" He questioned. "I'll go draw your bath then."  
  
She shook her head. "No, we haven't even started. I will be going away to stay at my sensei's training center for a few days, and I am here to pack my things."  
  
The toad exclaimed, "You cannot go alone! The chancellor would be so upset... take a yoshi with you." He insisted.  
  
The queen nodded. "I am queen now, and I wish you wouldn't tell me what to do! I can go by myself."  
  
The toad sighed, "We are worried about you, that's all. I must meet your sensei. I am responsible for your safety, my queen."  
  
"I can take care of myself and that is the exact reason why I am training!" She snapped and put her hands on her hips. "Now just relax, you and all the others may have the next two days and evenings off. Go take in some sight seeing."  
  
The toad sighed, and reluctantly helped the princess pack her largest bag. Shampoo, conditioner, soap, face scrub, face cream, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, perfume... and next were her clothes. 3 of her comfortable training outfits; green silk, red silk, and black silk, two of her fancier dinner dresses, under things, pajamas, and a couple other knick-knacks. The toad tied the queen's bag, and carried it, as he followed her out the door. Her hair was now down, and at her side was her favorite sword.  
  
"I'm ready." She announced, as the toad dropped her bag, and promptly approached Link.  
  
"You are her teacher?" The toad questioned.  
  
Link nodded. "Yes, I am, and you are??"  
  
"Her highness' number one advisor. I advised her not to go with you. How do we know you aren't one of Bowser's cohorts? I don't know you, and neither does she, but she insisted on going with you. If even one hair on her head is injured..."  
  
"If she is injured, then it means she was slow during training, and deserved it."  
  
The toad bowed his head, and backed away from the group. He could sense the honesty in the sensei's voice and decided not to worry.  
  
Link smiled at her. "So, let's not waste time then." He looked at the sun. "Tide pulls out at about six fifteen every evening here, and that's the best time to get to my island safely. The tide actually parts, and gives us about ten minutes to get across."  
  
"The island isn't far, and it is easy to make it in five minutes, so don't worry." The shyguy announced, upon seeing her worried face.  
  
The princess thought for a second, and then agreed. Link put a hand on her shoulder. "Being brave is the first step to being a great warrior. I know for a fact you are a very brave girl. Geno told me of all of your battles against Smithy and Wart, and this is an easier task than the battles."  
  
They all walked over to the water's edge and the princess gasped as the ocean foamed and hissed. A narrow strip of land appeared in the waves and Link walked down it, closely followed by the shyguy. Avalon shook herself and grabbed the bag she had dropped in her surprise. She ran after the two fighters and kept close to them as they walked down the narrow path to safety. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
A few minutes later a field of green appeared in front of them. Avalon looked in awe as an island appeared seemingly out of nowhere. It was covered in palm trees and leafy bushes. A massive age-weathered temple sprouted before them. Vines clung to the exterior as if they were trying to find ways inside. Trees had grown inside of it and the middle looked as if the roof had been gone long ago. A small stream trickled out of the entrance to the temple and fed a waterfall into the cove. "This is paradise," Avalon murmured, "How is it that no one knows that this is here?"  
  
Link climbed up a small ledge and looked back at her. "Because no one should know it's here," he told her, "And my students don't tell anyone it's here. The temple has to remain unspoiled so that we have as pure of an environment as possible. It helps us know when things are not right."  
  
She nodded, and smiled. "So where do I sleep tonight?"  
  
The shyguy nodded with happiness. "Our living quarters are not quite as fancy as your highness is used to, but they are still very beautiful indeed. Follow me. Link needs to prepare a few things, and you need to get in fighting clothes."  
  
Link was on top of a rock next to the shore of a small pond. He looked as if he was thinking about something important, so she followed the shyguy so Link could have peace.  
  
He lead her through the temple entrance, which had trhe gentle stream of water. The shyguy hopped over the stream and she copied him. He wove around the roots of the trees, which were quite large, as the trees were. All of the trees had exotic looking fruits on them, and she wondered if they were edible or just pretty.  
  
There were a few doorways, and they all had sheer netting instead of doors. Most of the doorway coverings were white, but a few had colors. Anteguy walked through a door with red netting and she followed him and observed the spacious, yet plain room. A very soft looking bed, which actually was a humongous down filled silk pillow, was in the corner with smaller pillows on it. The bed was ivory with several throw blankets of all different colors, a rug made from white animal skins was on the floor in front of a table with a burning candle on it and a few books written in a text she couldn't read.  
  
There was also a window, which had a bamboo shade covering it. There were potted plants all over, making the room feel more welcoming and exotic. By the look on her face, she wasn't pleased.  
  
"Don't insult Master Link." He reminded her. "Link is a good guy but if you insult him, he will be very angry with you."  
  
She dropped her bags and nodded. "I know. I think the room is lovely, but where do I change? I need privacy and there is no door."  
  
Anteguy snickered. "Get used to it. You bathe in the open too!!! I will leave you to get in your training outfit. Senesei wants to see you in the courtyard when you are dressed. The courtyard is the archway across from you, with the pale green netting."  
  
She felt very uneasy changing after he left. She finally decided to tie a blanket between two of the plants in her room and change behind there. She had a tougher time getting dressed, but she felt better about the privacy.  
  
Donning a white tank top and red pants, she hurried to meet him in bare feet. She carried her red silk slippers in her hands to keep them dry. Her sword was at her side, and her hair up in a ponytail.  
  
"You took quite a long time. How do you like your room?" link leaned against an olive tree, and cleaned his sword on a piece of cloth. The courtyard was sunbathed, fruit and olive trees were planted and growing in square holes in the ancient mud brick.  
  
She put on her slippers, and smiled at him. "My room is very lovely. This place is so peaceful. I may not ever want to go back to Delfino!" She announced.  
  
Link nodded with approval. "I am very happy to hear that. If you don't wish to return to Delfino, then I won't make you. That is, until you make me angry." The tone started out being somewhat friendly, and morphed into one of seriousness.  
  
Ava turned and looked around at all of the trees. A small bird chirped and wove some straw around between two branches, creating himself a home. She enjoyed how uninhabited, untainted this land was. Too bad she had promised to be at her sister's wedding. She really didn't want to go. Maybe she wouldn't tell her sensei. Maybe she would be a no show!  
  
"We don't have much time to train. The sun is almost down and after your lesson, you will want food and sleep, I guarantee."  
  
She turned, and nodded. The sun shone on her hair making it appear like spun gold, and attracting her sensei's attention for just a moment, as he looked her over. She was indeed beautiful, just like Geno had said. But was she a good fighter? She was much cuter than any girl he had ever seen, even prettier than the princess in his world.  
  
"What's wrong?" She asked, noticing his stare. "You're giving me a strange look. Did I do something wrong?"  
  
Link unsheathed his sword, and stared at her, getting in a fighting stance. "In a second you will. I will best you, and you will get offended." He predicted with a grin. "So how about you take the first swing?"  
  
She readied her sword, and glared at him. "I despise it when people underestimate me!" She exclaimed, as she swung her sword. It knocked the little green hat off of his head and into the dust. "is this a kill fight, or just a small spar?" She smirked and leaned on her sword.  
  
"If you move fast enough, it will be a spar! Otherwise..." He swung his sword at her, and she leapt over it, sticking her tongue out  
  
"I'm too fast for you!" She exclaimed. "What do I get if I win?"  
  
"You get to know the fact that you beat me when I was going easy on you." He stabbed toward her, and she raised her leg, and kicked it from his hands, sending it flying, and piercing a tree, coming out the other side.  
  
Link crossed his arms. "Dirty trick! You wouldn't stab an unarmed person would you? That wouldn't be fair."  
  
She dropped her sword, and bowed slightly. "You're right. I wouldn't stab an unarmed man." She came at him, kicking her leg far over her head, and kicking his chest just enough to show him that she knew what she was doing. "But I can still beat you up!"  
  
He grabbed her foot, and flipped her. She didn't hit the ground. He picked her up by the waist and placed her on her feet.  
  
She shook her head. "Unfair! I was going easy on you!"  
  
Link snapped at her. "In your kingdom, are sensei treated with disrespect? Because, you are disrespecting me! Not only because of how you talk to me, but also by holding back your attacks. I am able to take what you dish out, and that is why I am a sensei, and you are student."  
  
She frowned. "I don't want to hurt you, because I know you will hurt me back. You're a fairy." She replied. "And you will zap me!"  
  
"I am not a fairy! Why do all of my students think I am a fairy? I always have to explain myself... Why do you think I'm a fairy?" He demanded, as he looked at the sun. It was almost set.  
  
"Well, you have pointy ears! And you have muscles, and you're blonde with blue eyes. Blondes with blue eyes are enchanted. Everyone knows that! You also dress like a fairy! So are you a fairy?"  
  
"I am not a fairy! I'm hylian!"  
  
Her eyes sparkled. "Do you grant wishes?"  
  
"No, I don't grant wishes! I'm just like you, but I'm stronger and I have pointy ears."  
  
"Your ears are very strange. They are so big and pointy." She remarked, as she stared at him in wonder.  
  
"Your ears are strange too. They are so small and rounded." When he said this, he could tell that she was offended. "Well, it's because you're not hylian. Everyone from my world has ears like this. I mean, your ears are perfect, I'm sure, to your people."  
  
Her eyes lost their sparkle. "I was hoping you were a star spirit." She started to trudge off. "I need to take a bath. Which way to the bathing room?"  
  
He pointed to a waterfall, with a crisp clear stream. The water was completely crystal clear and beautiful. "I wouldn't recommend you bathing at night. There are poisonous snakes, and it's a hot spring. The reptiles go there for heat at night."  
  
She shivered. "Uhhh.... snakes... I don't like... snakes, or any other type of reptile. I think I will wait... until the morning." She replied, as she smiled at him nervously. She adjusted her tiara, and looked around some more at the orchard. "These are strange fruits. Are any of them edible?"  
  
Link had picked a basketful, and was behind her. He poked her, and she turned. "Every tree here has edible fruit, except the Scarlet. It's he tree with the black branches, silver leaves and red berries. Don't go near it. The Scarlet Nectar berries are extremely poisonous. If you eat one, it tastes like the most delicious thing ever, but then you'd better get a physician. They do serve one good use, though. They make wonderful, nonpoisonous liquor."  
  
She nodded. "Strange fruits." She poked one of the things in the basket gently. "What is this?" It was a bright orange fruit that was odd shaped.  
  
"Star fruit. Geno loved that! He had two things he really fancied on the island. He even took seeds from the two plants that he liked."  
  
She poked another one, which was bright red, and spiky. The tips of the spikes were tinted black. "It looks very poisonous!"  
  
Link beamed. "It is not poisonous, it is perfect. That is a Koopafruit. It is the best one we have on the island. It is a hybrid between starfruit, dragonfruit mango, and scarlet nectar. It is Geno's other favorite. I created this fruit myself. It looks like this thing I battled, called, "King Koopa."  
  
She shivered. "Yes, I know him." She rubbed a scar on her arm. It was three slash-marks that looked like they had been left by a claw. Her eyes glazed over and she wandered away, sitting on a small stone bench and watching the sunset. She no longer could hold in the tears. She sat there with her face in her hands, sobbing. She wished that Geno were there. She was in trouble. Deep trouble, and she needed someone to talk to. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
Link looked after her, a little confused, then he followed her and watched her cry for a little while before he walked up behind her. He decided she must be very frightened. "Don't cry," he told her softly as he patted her back, "As long as you keep moving like you were and pay careful attention you'll be completely safe here. I will keep you safe."  
  
"Master Link!" she exclaimed as she jumped up, "I'm sorry, I d-didn't hear you- you'll have to forgive me- I'm just a little emotional right now... Bowser..." She shakes her head and shivers again, "Please don't mention him again." A tear gathered in the corner of her eye despite her having wiped it away twice.  
  
Link tilted his head slightly and stroked her ear once, his finger followed its curve and he smiled at her. "We won't mention him again unless it is relevant," he said softly, "But by then I hope to have you strong enough to throw him on his ear. So you need to be careful, rest well tonight, and relax. Tomorrow your training begins. If you need anything, feel free to ask." Link turned slowly and walked away.  
  
Avalon was left breathless as she watched him go. He was so confident that she felt inspired. Her eyes began to tear again as his footsteps faded. She sobbed softly again as she walked to her room, but she didn't know why.  
  
She lay awake in bed, after having relived that moment twice in nightmare form. She couldn't tell anyone; for fear that they would enforce her to follow the kingdom's tradition. Bowser was evil, and he knew that the secret would eat her alive, and make her weak to his taking again. Bowser had become his human form, Leo, and attacked her, robbing her of her innocence about two months ago. Thank the heavens she was unable to get pregnant.  
  
She cried softly in a fluffy, feather-filled pillow. Bad things happened all too often to her. Sometimes she wished she wasn't royalty. She wanted to be just a plain villager. She envied the innocence and ignorance the toads were blessed with. Nobody would ever do that to a toad. Nobody would ever harm one or lie to one. They were just too helpless.  
  
But in a way she was even more helpless than a toad. Being the princess, she was taught to never speak of her problems, except to one person she trusted. Telling her secrets could cause a kingdom to revolt, even if one little thing slipped out, such as a secret like hers. If anyone found out, she might be forced to agree to marry him. After all, he was the one who had soiled her.  
  
The sun started to peek over a mountain in the distance, and a bird chirped that it was morning. Maybe a bath would wake her up. She gathered her clothes, and the two towels she brought, along with all of her bathing necessities. The others were still sleeping, and she would have privacy.  
  
She was still very nervous about bathing outside, but she had faith that the others would stay away. She put one toe in the water before she undressed. Just like Link had said, the water was warm. She slipped in, happy that the water was completely free of moss, animals, or anything else other than water and rocks. She took her hair out of its ponytail, dipped her hair in the water, and lathered with her rose scented shampoo. She rinsed in the warm waterfall, put in conditioner, and while it soaked in, she washed her face, and brushed her teeth. Soon her hair was washed, and up in a towel, and she was stepping out of the bath.  
  
Link was heading down to the spring for his bath now, and he caught site of her, with the towel now around her body and her head. She was putting on some lacy pink panties, and she was making sure to keep herself covered. But to put on her brassiere, she had to drop the towel. Her back was turned toward him, and he was glad, yet just a bit disappointed. The brassiere matched, and she slipped on her favorite battle uniform; a knee length pink dress, slippers, and her white and pink diamond tiara. Her dress had a pair of short shorts underneath, so she would be decent when fighting. Her hair would dry in the sun, so she left it down with the large tiara in it after she brushed it thoroughly.  
  
After she had finished, Link popped out form behind a tree. "I'm going to take my bath now." He announced, as he started to walk past her. While he was doing so, he grabbed her arm. "You smell nice." He announced.  
  
Avalon smiled. "That's exactly why I bathe and I am happy that I am pleasant again. But I must say, I still prefer bathing inside." She secretly wondered if Link had been spying, but she knew he hadn't. Geno would never have a friend who was less than knightly. "The spring is very clean and warm. How do you keep it that way?" She questioned.  
  
Link was behind her, getting undressed. He was untying the black robe he wore to bed. "The tree that overhangs the spring and waterfall drops white petals, which have the wonderful quality of purifying the water. No bacteria grows here. The water actually has healing qualities. This is the spring we use to gather drinking water." As he spoke, Avalon saw a few petals fall into the spring and dissolve in the water completely. They were large white velvety petals.  
  
"This place is amazing." She breathed as she looked around some more. "I will leave you to bathe now. You want to meet in the courtyard?" She asked, as she glanced at him. Link was now naked, sitting in the water. When she noticed, she turned away, her face beet red.  
  
"What's the matter?" He questioned.  
  
"I didn't know you were undressed. You deserve your privacy." She replied, hearing him stand up in the water. "I will see you in the courtyard!" She called, as she hurried off.  
  
Link washed himself thoroughly, got in his red tunic, hat, and black boots, and ran to meet her. She looked like a goddess, sitting on the stone bench and braiding her hair as she watched a tiny bird picking up stones around her now bare feet. She giggled, as the bird hopped on her toe, tilted his head, chirped, and hopped up her leg. It sat in her lap, looked at her, and chirped once more. She picked up the little bird and whispered to him. He was a bright yellow parrot, about four inches from head to tail, with tiny peach feet, and beak, and red eyes. He was very cute, as he put his head down for her to scratch. Avalon had a few doves at home, and she knew how to handle birds well. She scratched the nape of his neck, and he closed his little eyes....  
  
"I see you have already met one of the girls." He announced, as he approached her. The little yellow bird heard him, and flew to meet him. It sat on his shoulder proudly, and let out a sharp trill of excitement, then nibbled his ear.  
  
"Girls? How do you know it's a girl?"  
  
Link picked up the bird, and kissed the top of it's head. When he did so, it raised its crown of long yellow feathers. "Only females lay eggs." He replied. "Her sisters are around here somewhere."  
  
Avalon smiled. "You don't seem like the type to have pet birds!!"  
  
He kissed the bird again, and it put it's head down. "Epona is this one's name. I am very fond of creatures, especially ones who are fond of me. Her sisters are Pandora and Aries."  
  
Avalon watched him and the bird. He sat it gently on a branch of a nearby olive tree, and it hopped to an upper branch, and let out another happy little call, before it took flight into the blue sky. "Shouldn't we be training?" She questioned, and then she yawned.  
  
"You didn't sleep last night. I can tell by your body language. No training today. Anteguy is bringing us our breakfast."  
  
She yawned again, and stood up. "I did too sleep. I'm always tired in the morning."  
  
"You didn't sleep. I know for a fact you didn't. I always check in on my new pupils on their evaluation days, and every time I looked in your doorway, you were awake, and either crying or tossing and turning. What bothers you that much?" He demanded.  
  
"I really can't talk about it. It's not that big of a deal. I'm just really stressed, okay?"  
  
"I'm trying to put it together myself, but I'm at a dead end. You are upset about Bowser, and afraid of him, but he cannot kill you, because you are the daughter of a star spirit, and they have granted you invincibility from death. So what happened?"  
  
"I really don't want to talk about it." She insisted. "It's a really big problem, and I'm working on resolving it."  
  
"By crying every night?" He demanded. Anteguy placed a tray of figs, bread and milk in front of them. "You are a born warrior. You have the physique and determination. Turn your sadness into anger, and after a good night's sleep, we will spar again. Today I will show you the most sacred parts of the island. I may also show you how to use the magic powers the spirits gave you."  
  
She stared at the breakfast, feeling very much depressed. She knew he was right. Crying was doing no good.  
  
"Eat your breakfast." He snapped, as he drank all of his milk in one gulp, then started on the figs. "Before I eat all of it."  
  
She watched him eat, and finally did eat half of a fig, drank about a quarter of her milk, and let the bread just sit. Link took her milk and finished it off, along with everything else. She wasn't hungry. She never was hungry when she was sad.  
  
The two of them walked through the woods. She had taken her slippers off and put them in her pink silk purse. It was a large backpack style with a silver drawstring closure. Link watched her spirits perk up slowly, as she hopped from rock to rock across the shallow stream. He was right behind her. He could tell she loved nature, and he considered her a friend already. He had never needed a friend before, but now, it really felt nice having one, and he didn't think he could now go without.  
  
She smiled and pointed at a large koi. "How pretty. There's a pond near my palace with beautiful ones like this. He's quite large and colorful."  
  
He smiled. "Yes, that one is very nice. You know, all koi are is giant carp with pretty coloring." He informed her. "Carp even have whiskers, but not as long as the koi have."  
  
She nodded. "You're very smart. I was never good at things like that."  
  
He laughed. "I've been with nature for a very long time. Before I was here, I lived in some forest by Rose Town."  
  
"The Forest of Illusion? Or was it Forest Maze?" She questioned.  
  
"I'm not sure. All I know is that I ran into giant caterpillars who wanted to eat me. By the way, in case you wanted to know, they taste like a mixture of deer and duck."  
  
She got a horrified look on her face, and almost fell into the water. "You ate a wiggler???"  
  
He laughed. "That's what they're called? Well, anyway, I was getting tired of them. And let me tell you, when you kill a big one and wear it's little flowery hat, the others stay really far away from you." He chuckled to himself. "I couldn't believe how easy it was to keep the others at bay."  
  
The princess looked down at her feet, and felt saddened for the life of the poor caterpillar. "I don't like thinking of anything in pain."  
  
"In the real world, your highness, it is kill or be killed. If a wiggler was charging you, with glowing red eyes and sparkling fangs, wouldn't you saw all of his tiny legs off and watch him bleed slowly to death?" He saw the horrified look on her face, and he chuckled. "Just kidding. One quick jab through one of its three hearts for an easy, less painful death."  
  
She felt nauseous. Half of it was his tale, half was her going almost a whole day without eating. Link waded in the water to get in front of her. "Up ahead is the spot where I like to sit and think. Perhaps you will let this place help clear your mind like it does to me." 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
She followed him, happily. She had forgotten the conversation they were having a few seconds ago. The scent in the air was fresh and invigorating, pine and another sweet scent she couldn't identify. Link had crossed the river and was on the other side, his back toward her, he had his hands on his hips. She finally crossed the river, and she wondered what he was doing. She stood behind him, patiently. '  
"Look at how pretty this is." He moved aside, and pointed to the scenery. They were on a ledge, and below them were hundreds of trees, all fruit of some kind. "Pomegranates, peaches, pears, apples, cherries, figs... I planted every one of them myself. I take great pride in my gardening. I grow the fruit to eat, but I also sell the excess to the Delfinians. That is how I saved up enough money to fix up the temple's rooms. When I got here, it was unlivable. Now it is a paradise. My paradise."  
  
She observed the scenery, and for one moment, she felt peace. "This place is paradise... I don't want to go to my sister's wedding now. I want to stay here forever. Maybe I won't go."  
  
Link sat down on a rock. "Why don't you want to go to your sister's wedding? You are very lucky to have a sister. I've always wanted a brother or sister."  
  
She shook her head. "If you had siblings you would understand. I am one of a set of triplets. We are all so different from one other. The oldest of us three is Daisy. She's the one who's getting married. She has five children, and doesn't know who the fathers are. Let's just say she had... wilder days. I can't stand Daisy. I only tolerate her because I have to. She's marrying one of my old boyfriends...." She paused. "Cherry is the middle sibling. She's very pretty, and I envy her. She has short black hair and blue eyes, and she is the best warrior I've ever met. I bet she could beat Geno."  
  
Link smirked. "Well, you have to go to Daisy's wedding. If you don't go, it will make you look jealous."  
  
She thought for a moment, and then nodded in agreement. "I suppose you're right."  
  
Silence. The pair sat and thought to themselves. The sun started to set, and Link's stomach growled loudly. "I'm famished. Do you like to eat duck?" He questioned. "I figure I'll offer you meat. You really didn't like breakfast."  
  
"I like duck. I like figs and milk too, but I just wasn't hungry this morning."  
  
Link smiled and cocked his bow, as he turned around. "Let's head back to the temple. On the way there hopefully I will see a duck."  
  
As they walked, he watched the brush. He knew how sensitive she was to gore, so he promised to warn her before she saw the shot. He hadn't seen any sign of wildlife at all. Well, at least nothing she would want to eat. She wouldn't eat wild boar. She would only eat rabbit, deer, and most types of foul.  
  
She could see how hard he was trying to find some meat. They had seen many boars and snakes. She smiled at him. "I will have figs and milk. You can catch whatever you want. I don't need meat tonight."  
  
Link laughed at her. "I don't give up, ever. You will not go without meat." He shot his bow, and pinned a large lizard against a tree. "You will try something new." He announced.  
  
"I will?"  
  
A short time later, Link roasted the lizard over the fire out in the courtyard. Avalon peeled an avocado and put it in a carved stone bowl, using a fork to mush the flesh off of the pit. She put the pit on a rock to dry so Link could plant it. "What is this thing I am mashing?"  
  
"Avocado. It's a strange food. It is fruit, nut, and vegetable. Very high in citric acid, which means it's really good for you."  
  
She nodded. "Okay. I believe you."  
  
Link poked the lizard, and then looked back at her. "You're going to try this, or I'm going to send you away."  
  
She got a horrified look on her face, but quickly wiped it away. She didn't want to insult him. "Oh, alright. But only a small piece."  
  
Link finished cooking the lizard, and handed her a pair of chopsticks. "Take a bite." He commanded.  
  
Her hand shook slightly, as she ripped off a tiny piece. She held it daintily in the sticks, and breathed, deeply, afraid of insulting him. She saw him staring at her, so she closed her eyes and put it in her mouth. She swallowed it without tasting, or chewing. One second later, she was throwing up in the bushes.  
  
Ava was learning quickly, and the pair became friends. The spars were becoming faster, and more violent, yet they didn't hurt each other somehow. The days melted away. She woke up one morning and realized it was time for her sister's wedding day. She wanted to shower at her beach house, so she just got dressed in the morning, and met Link in the courtyard for their daily breakfast of milk and fruit.  
  
Today was blueberries and cream. "Your sister gets married today, and I have decided I will accompany you. I want to meet everyone you spoke of."  
  
Avalon smiled. "You really will go with me? I was afraid to ask. I didn't want to go alone. All of her friends hate me."  
  
Link laughed. "I doubt anyone could hate you."  
  
"I want to head back early so I can take a nice hot bubble bath."  
  
Link chuckled. "You love baths, don't you, your highness? Twice a day, and even then, you want to take them more often."  
  
She blushed a deep crimson and played with a lock of her hair. "I can think clearest when I'm lying in hot water, and fluffy, fragrant bubbles. I just love it."  
  
Somehow, he couldn't help but image her naked body covered in fluffy bubbles...  
  
He stared at her for a moment, then dumped all of his blueberries into his glass of milk, and guzzled it mercilessly. "Let's get you to Delfini isle so you can take that 'bath', okay? I mean, is a bath so important that you can go without training today? "  
  
She smiled, "Can we postpone training just for today, Link?"  
  
He nodded. "Of course, it is a special occasion. Tonight we will stay on Delfini isle, that is, unless the marriage festivities keep us up all night."  
  
"I doubt that will happen. I don't even want to go. But I guess it will be okay since I'm with a friend."  
  
He patted her hand. "Let's go gather our things." As he stood up, feeling a bit sad that she was leaving the following afternoon. He would miss her terribly, he feared.  
  
"I'm packed and ready." She announced, standing in front of the temple with her bags, and wearing her pink sundress and matching flip flop sandals.  
  
He smiled, and emerged with a rather large bag over his shoulder. "I packed a few things of my own."  
  
She smirked at him, and followed as he headed off of the island. Deadly guy met them and confirmed that he would meet Link the following morning at the part in the sea at nine o clock.  
  
Link said goodbye to Deadly Guy, and signalled for Ava to follow him across the temporary strait that connected Delfini and his paradise. She hurried behind him; though she had been across it before, it still frightened her.  
  
He chuckled at her, and realized how fond he was growing of her. She was so unique; every little thing she did was so different, and cute too.  
  
She rushed ahead of him, and danced her way onto the island. "I get to take a bath and sleep in my own bed tonight!!!" She chirped. "I'll take my bath and you can read a book or something. When I'm done and dressed, we're going shopping to find you and I outfits to wear tonight."  
  
He watched her dance her way toward the large beach house, open the door, and step inside. He followed, and was amazed. Everything was so beautiful. Soft draperies hung on the walls, and the floors were beautiful black polished marble. There was a couch, a fireplace, chairs, and a door off, straight ahead. She headed toward it, with her bags.  
  
"I'll be out in an hour or less. Make yourself comfortable." She called, as she slipped in and locked the door.  
  
How she had missed her baths! The water was hot, the bubbles were fluffy, and perfumed perfectly. She hummed to herself as she washed her hair, and wondered what Link's future plans were. Maybe he would like to move back with her, and be a teacher in her Kingdom?  
  
Link and Avalon had a fine time shopping. She had Link fitted for a lovely black silk tuxedo, which he looked handsome in. His bowtie was red to match her dress, which was a mermaid style with spaghetti strap sleeves. The most of it was red velvet, except the tail was white fanned lace. Her hair was down, and she wore a small diamond tiara and her diamond necklace, earrings and bracelet.  
  
Link smiled when he saw her, and wondered if she would stay here with him for a little while longer. But somehow he knew she had to go, so he would have to make the best of his time with her.  
  
The wedding was held in the town square. Every archway had draping bouquets of pink and blue roses, tied with gaudy yellow ribbon. Daisy was standing amidst a group of snifit-atendants in a horribly tight fitting ivory wedding dress with poufy sleeves, and blue roses crocheted on the train. On her head she wore a viel covered in them.  
  
"Sister!" Daisy called, as she lifted her dress so it wouldn't drag the ground. "Oh Sister!" She called again, as she grabbed Avalon's arm. "You missed the wedding!" She announced, frowning. "I missed you..."  
  
Avalon looked confused and yet relieved that she had missed it. "The invitation said five thirty..."  
  
Daisy went pale. "Oh yeah, Mario didn't want you there.... I forgot. You were just invited to the reception." She wiped her forehead, and then looked at Avalon's handsome date. "Dear sister, who's your date?" She questioned.  
  
Link felt slightly offended. "I can speak for myself. I am Master Link, the very greatest sensei appointed by the star spirits themselves." As he said this, the star shaped mark on his neck shimmered a bit.  
  
Daisy nodded. "I'm sure you're very proud to be that... then." She scowled at him, then tried to hide it with a smile.  
  
He grabbed Avalon's arm lovingly. "I am more proud to be the young queens' date tonight. You must love her dearly. I mean, how can you not? She is the belle of the ball, and she is so sweet and kind... Her personality is so pristine and earnest." He whispered, obviously patronizing Mario who was now behind Daisy eavesdropping. "I heard that you are marrying her ex? What a fool he was to dump a princess for another..."  
  
Mario had just seen Avalon, and was close to tears at how much her beauty outshone his bride's. Poor Daisy would always be the ugly duckling, and Avalon would always be a swan. It was a sad fact he would have to face.  
  
"You know, I am of noble blood. Technically I too am a princess." She snapped. "You speak of me as if I am a peasant. I am far from that."  
  
Link shrugged, "You are a princess by blood, not heart. A princess at heart is a bieng who is loving, innocent, and proud. A peasant works for a living. You are neither." Link replied, with a slight smirk.  
  
Daisy gasped, and grabbed her new husband's shoulder. "You aren't going to let him say things like that about your bride, are you?"  
  
Mario looked away from Link nervously. "He looks stronger than me." He whispered.  
  
Daisy pushed Mario aside, and stormed off toward the table of refreshments. She desperately needed some sugar to calm her nerves.  
  
Link chuckled, and looked at Avalon. "Want some wine, Princess?"  
  
She smiled at him, and squoze his arm affectionately. "Sure!"  
  
Link hurried off to grab the wine, and soon returned with the two glasses. Avalon took hers, and sipped it. "Want some cake?" He questioned, realizing that if he didn't get some now, Daisy would eat it all.  
  
Avalon nodded, and sat on a small chair, placing her drink on the small coffee table. A lily hanging above the beverage unfurled a leaf and dropped white sparkles into her glass....  
  
"Your highness, long time no see." A masculine voice called from next to her. She recognized the voice and stood up promptly, and turned away from the voice.  
  
"Go away Leo." She announced, sounding as calm as she could.  
  
His warm, soft hand touched her shoulder. "Look at me or I will make you." He snapped.  
  
She turned, but wouldn't look at him, you see, she already knew him well enough. He was 6'4", which towered above her 5'6" height. His hair was tall and spiked, black with blood red tips. He always wore a long black robe and cape with red ornaments. He had fangs which glistened when he smiled and looked her over. "My beautiful little diamond... dance with me. You are mine, and I have earned it." He put out his hand.  
  
"Leave me alone, please." She whispered.  
  
"Oh but I cannot, you see, you, my dear, are the most delectable and addicting little snack I have ever had." He whispered. "Why won't you be my queen, hmm?" 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
As she was about to reply, Link was behind her, holding the small plate of fluffy angel food cake. He didn't seem to notice Leo at all. She grabbed his arm and squoze tightly, and then, feeling dizzy she stumbled. Link caught her in his arms. "You don't look so well." He announced. "You look really flustered."  
  
He helped her over to the cold stone wall, and she leaned against it. "I feel really warm.... I need some water."  
  
Link nodded. "Wait here. I'll be right back."  
  
Link went to fetch her water, and as soon as he was out of sight, Leo appeared, and grabbed her wrists. She didn't feel well enough to fight back.  
  
"Your boy toy has got to go. You belong to me. Don't you forget it." He growled as he grabbed her shoulders. "Either you tell him, or I will. The moment he finds out, he won't want you. No man wants a woman like you. You will never find a king. I drugged your wine, my dear, and I will now take you back to my palace for a few hours..."  
  
Avalon closed her eyes, and braced herself for what Leo was going to do.  
  
"My future queen, I haven't met this friend." Link announced as he rounded the corner, and handed her the water. "Who is he?"  
  
"This is Leo. I speak of him on rare occasions." She shrugged his hands away. She still felt quite weak, and Leo knew that. If he wanted her again, he would need to get this stranger away.  
  
"Ah, I have heard of Leo. Isn't he the father of Daisy's oldest child?"  
  
Leo snapped. "I have never even touched that witch of a woman. Why, the mere thought if it sickens me. Why any man would want a used woman is beyond me." He glanced at Avalon and smirked. "Don't you agree, your highness?"  
  
Link supported Avalon, and glared at Leo for just a moment. "My bride to be isn't feeling well. You will have to excuse us." He escorted her to a small stone bench, and sat her down. She leaned against him, and groaned.  
  
"Oh... My head!" She leaned her head on Link's arm, and then lifted it again with all of her strength.  
  
"Lean against me if it makes you feel better, your highness."  
  
She leaned on him, and her head felt clear enough for her to talk. "Thank you for deceiving Leo... he drugged me, and..." She couldn't bring herself to finish her sentence. Link shushed her.  
  
"Don't talk, okay? I'm going to carry you back to your beach house now." He picked her up and laid her across his shoulders gently, and carried her up the beach. As he did so, a few toads chased her down. One of them hurried ahead of them to unlock the door to the beach house. He looked at Link angered and accusing.  
  
"Help her inside and then leave! I don't know what you did to her, but..."  
  
Link laid her down on her bed. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she spoke softly, "He saved me, from Leo... Leo drugged my wine, and Link kept him away from me."  
  
The toad felt guilty for accusing Link, so he humbly apologized. Link forgave him, and told him to watch Avalon closely. It wasn't a spell. Link would have sensed a spell. Avalon's hero started for the door, and she sat up.  
  
"Wait, please don't leave me! He'll come back, I know it!" She begged, and then fell back down from exhaustion.  
  
Link sat on the edge of the bed, and watched her until she fell asleep. The toads sat in chairs, supervising to ensure that Link was polite and kind to her. From what they saw, he was king quality. They still would not let them be unsupervised. The princess moaned and rolled away from Link, clutching her abdomen. "Oh, my stomach..."  
  
He put his hand on her forehead. "You're not warm. Would you like me to fetch a doctor?"  
  
Avalon clutched her stomach still. "I'll be okay. My dizziness has gone away."  
  
He nodded. "I still think I should call a doctor. I am beginning to grow rather fond of you. I would like to go with you and be your head knight."  
  
She smiled as best as she could, but soon passed out. One of the toads had called a doctor, and informed Link that the doctor was on the way.  
  
"It should be out of her system by morning." The doctor looked at the vial of blood he had collected. Her blood was red, with just a few black groups of cells here and there. "The black cells are the toxin... The white cells are killing the poison, and with all of the vitamins she takes, she will be fine shortly."  
  
The small group eventually drifted off to sleep... well, all except Link of course. He stayed wide awake, for several reasons. He didn't know where to sleep, and also he felt responsible for her highness's safety. He missed being someone's hero. In his world, he was a hero, guarding the princess, and here, he needed someone to care for.  
  
The plane landed, and the princess's pilot, a blue shelled para- troopa, got out of the plane and ordered his crew to check the plane's workings. His crew consisted of two snifits, a blue robed shyguy, and the co-pilot, another para-troopa with a green shell. The flight attendants were two cute little shy guys in white robes.  
  
The co-pilot and pilot oversaw everything that happened to the plane. They trusted their crew but since they were all fairly new on the job, they liked to be watchful.  
  
Link met Deadly guy and told him to take care of the temple while he was away. Deadly guy said goodbye and Link knew he could be trusted.  
  
"Are you nervous?" Avalon was back in good spirits this morning, apparently very excited about going home. She wore a red sundress with white spots. It was knee length, and she wore matching sandals, her hair up in a red bow. She took her off sunglasses, they were red and star shaped. She was adorable to Link.  
  
"Slightly." He admitted. "What is this thing?" He questioned. "How does it fly, without wings?"  
  
She chuckled. "It's a jet airplane, and I don't know how it works. I leave that to the pilot. It's his job to know how it works."  
  
Link nodded. "Makes sense." He paused. "I want to find out how it works. Maybe I'll ask the... Pilot?"  
  
She laughed happily. "You know what? I'm going to enjoy showing you around my kingdom tomorrow. Tonight we will have a good night's sleep in my palace, and tomorrow we will go out in Mushroom Town. I need a new wardrobe anyway, so we will stop by the tailor and get you some knightly outfits. I want my head knight to look like he should."  
  
He nodded. "I wish you wouldn't spend money on me, your highness."  
  
She blushed. "I've never had a knight that I actually wanted around me. I want to buy you gifts, and after all, you should look like a proper knight, don't you agree?"  
  
He smiled at her. "You are a one of a kind person. I still wish you wouldn't spend so much on me. I haven't earned it."  
  
She giggled. "Oh you will. As often as I get attacked..."  
  
He smiled. "How many days will it take us to get to your kingdom?"  
  
"It's a one hour flight." She announced, as Link buckled himself into his seatbelt, copying her. He had never seen one before. "I'm going to paint my nails again."  
  
"Why? You're wearing red on your fingers and toes, and they look beautiful."  
  
She smiled. "I know, but it gives me something to do. Right? They will just be finished when we land."  
  
Link nodded. "I want to ask you something, your highness... that man at the party last night... why did he drug you? Why was he talking to you like that?"  
  
She sighed, and rubbed some lotion on her hands. "Leo wants me to be his queen, yet I do not love him. Leo is Bowser, in human form. After all of the evil things he's done... He's the eldest son of the head dark star spirit."  
  
Link gasped. "And you are the only daughter of the head light star spirit."  
  
"If we were to marry, which will never happen... I will die before then... Our child would be a catastrophe. I am barren, unless I have a member of the star kingdom, either side, be the father of my child. Even then I am only allowed to be pregnant one time. My mother made it that way to ensure my safety."  
  
Link nodded. "They Daisy is not of the star spirit kingdom?"  
  
Avalon nodded. "She is a member of the dark star spirit kingdom... or she was. They took her essence away. She was soiling their name with her actions."  
  
Link scoffed. "She was removed from power. That's why she hates you?"  
  
"My middle sister, Cherry, is a member of the dark spirits. She doesn't bother me, but her and Daisy fight quite a bit."  
  
"This is all so confusing...." He yawned. "Is it okay if I sleep?"  
  
Avalon nodded. "Go ahead. I will wake you when we get there."  
  
He watched her for a few minutes, but fell asleep shortly thereafter. Avalon watched him. She had never seen him sleep, and it was amusing to her. He didn't snore, but he did drool a little bit. She finished taking the polish off her nails, and putting on the first layer. She sat and thought; her fingers and toes dried quickly.  
  
By the third coat of the red lacquer, the plane started to land. Link had slept through the takeoff, landing, and everything in-between. Otherwise, he probably would have been a bit frightened.  
  
A shyguy poked him, and stared. Avalon was already off the plane, but she didn't have the heart to wake him. He looked so peaceful.  
  
Link shook awake, and looked confused. "What happened? Where is her royal highness?"  
  
The shyguy pointed towards the open door. A few yoshis cleaned up the plane. One was vacuuming the red carpet; another was picking up the cotton balls she had soaked in polish remover. Link watched them for a moment. "We landed??"  
  
The shyguy nodded as shyguys do. They rarely spoke. Link grabbed his leather bag, and walked down the stairs and out of the plane. He could see Avalon sitting on her brown horse. She had shiny black hooves, muzzle, mane and tail. Avalon hadn't seen Link get off the plane yet. She kissed her horse on the top of it's head, and scratched behind it's ears. The horse seemed to be enjoying the attention, as it arched its neck and whinnied in happiness.  
  
"Your horse is beautiful." Link announced, as he approached her, his pouch over his shoulder now. "Does she have a name?"  
  
"Chocolate." She replied. "I got her about three years ago, and... well, she's the color of chocolate... and I love chocolate."  
  
"What is chocolate?" He questioned. Avalon's jaw dropped.  
  
"You poor deprived man..." She whispered. "Tonight you will have chocolate for dessert." She pointed. "Oh, and here comes Licorice.... "A pure black stallion was being led by about ten toads. They all held the rope to keep him from throwing a fit. He didn't like to be separated from his mate. "I will ride him. He is very temperamental, but for some reason, he adores me."  
  
Link took Licorice's rope from the toads, untied it, and got on the horse's back. He whispered something in Licorice's ear, and he was calm.  
  
Avalon whispered something to her horse, and held on tight, as the horse bolted off, up the paved road of red brick. Link commanded Licorice, and followed Avalon's horse.  
  
All of the toads on the runway bolted in fear.  
  
Large trees shaded the path the pair rode on. Roots jutted out of the brick making the pathway uneven. Avalon's horse leapt over all of the undulations, and continued quickly toward the palace.  
  
Licorice snorted, and without Link's command went faster, and was soon right next to Chocolate and Avalon. Chocolate also snorted, and went even quicker toward the palace, a brown streak and nothing more. It was obvious the horses were very competitive, and as they neared the white iron gates, Chocolate was in the lead. She stopped before Licorice did, right in front of the gates, so Avalon could dismount. The horse got on it's knees so Avalon could easily dismount.  
  
She did so, and after she was off, Link and Licorice stopped. Link got down, and a pair of toads opened the gates.  
  
"Welcome home your highness..." One of them was red spotted and in silver armor. He bowed, and his partner did the same.  
  
A few snifits came and took the horses, leading them off to a stable that was to the far right, made of fine stone, decorated with carved images of horses, and shaded by large oak trees.  
  
The toads followed the queen and her friend, and as soon as they were safely inside, the gates were shut and locked tightly. Inside, the path was made of white shale, with soft moss growing in the cracks. Link marveled at the beautiful cherry trees, in full bloom, lining the pathway. Behind the trees he could spot Yoshis. They were learning combat from a large gray koopa.  
  
"Yoshis! Hundreds!" He exclaimed as he pointed.  
  
She nodded. "Yoshis are a very valuable member of my kingdom. These are the patrollers. They walk the palace grounds, or at least they will when training is completed." Avalon skipped ahead. "I'm so happy to be home again." She announced. "You see, I love vacation, and your paradise and all, but this really is my paradise. I like feeling safe, and I only really feel safe here."  
  
He nodded. "Yes, I understand what you mean. You see, I only feel happy when I have someone to defend. Odd isn't it?"  
  
"Indeed!" She announced. "When we get inside, someone will show you to your room. You can take a nap, if you wish. Tonight my friends will be visiting. I will come up at four and help you find something to wear, and show you how to work the shower too."  
  
They walked inside, and Link was in awe at the beauty and wealth in the palace. There was a gold staircase with star shaped post-toppers of silver, and the stairs themselves were lined with rich red velvet. The top of the room was what seemed like a thousand feet high, with a stained glass globe as the cieling. It was a beautiful picture of the star spirits, and star haven.  
  
"How pretty." He announced. "I am sure they would be very impressed to see how adored they are by their people." A huge fountain was at the center of the room, a large sliver basin with golden star shaped ornaments squirting water. Link approached it, and looked at it more closely. Koi swam in the water, and hid under the large blossoming lilies as he approached.  
  
She smiled halfly. "Oh, they know. They came and built the ceiling after Bowser destroyed the old one. My mother sent me that fountain from star haven. The best artisans live up there, and in Nimbus Land."  
  
As she spoke, a snifit decked in green and black approached Link, and bowed.  
  
"This is Theo. I guess that he is your attendant. Now he will show you your room, and how to work everything. At seven he will come and get you, to lead you to the dining room. I have a few people who want to meet you."  
  
Link nodded, and followed the snifit. As they headed up, he watched Avalon. Four proper-dressed toads approached her, and lead her to the throne room. He recognized the insignia of the crown over the doorway.  
  
That evening, dinner was silent. The princess's advisors didn't know what to say. An odd looking boy appeared at the palace, and was now eating at the head of the table, opposite the queen. That spot was known as the 'knight' spot, only an honourable person could sit there. The thing that worried them was how handsome he was, and how polite. They had never had a polite guest. Mario and his brothers were all sloppy, and talkative.  
  
The princess ate her meal of watercress and wild mushroom soup, and a simple green salad with duck breast and yellow pear tomatoes. Link had never eaten food quite like this, but he found it quite tasty. The advisors watched him carefully, and all held their tongues, though they wanted to say something; to ask him who he was, and what he wanted of their princess. 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
One advisor was a green yoshi who was well past his prime. Another was a yellow toad who also happened to be aged. The last was a young red female toad, who was also a religious counselor and advisor to the townspeople.  
  
The yoshi was named Alexander. He was cranky and suspicious of Link, and wondered if he was after the queen's fortune. The yellow toad, Rolf, was wondering why the guest hadn't spoken and thought he had something to hide. Laretta watched Link not because she was suspicious, but because she was curious as to why Avalon had brought him home.  
  
The friends never came that evening because Avalon was much too exhausted. They would have to come another evening. Link retreated to his room, early, to get some sleep but found it difficult to sleep in such a fancy, soft bed. He did however love the soft scent of lavender that lingered in the sheets, pillows and blankets as he tried in vain to drift off.  
  
The next morning, Ava took him shopping for some fancy new clothes. They shopped until eleven, had a quick lunch at a small restaurant, and then returned home. She said that she would come see him at four; she had to see the chancellor in the morning.  
  
Link lay on the bed, half-asleep, trying to take his afternoon nap. It was almost four and he didn't want to be asleep when the queen came up to see him. A toad had come up and showed him the basics of the room, and he had taken a bath and a shower. He wasn't sure if he liked the idea of bathing inside though...  
  
The princess was an odd housekeeper, to him. The last few days, he watched how little she did by herself. She didn't cook. She didn't pull out her own chair at dinner. One thing she did do was take care of her pets. She had a pair of doves in her room. They were extremely tame, and they adored her. Sometimes they would fly behind her when she left the room. She also took care of her horses. She brushed them, talked to them, occasionally bathed them, and gave them treats all the time, but the toads bathed them most of the time, scrubbed their stalls, and gave them their full meals.  
  
The queen opened his door, and stepped in, a peacock on a leash behind her. "Link, meet Emeralds." The bird fluffed, and strutted around the room, pecking at the carpet. It sat down by the Queen's feet when she stopped by Link's bed.  
  
The knight got up and rubbed his eyes. He was wearing a red pair of pajama pants and a black tank top. "Oh, a creature of some sort." He remarked. "Where did it come from?"  
  
She beamed. "I just got him for my birthday..."  
  
Link laughed. "What an odd present! How old are you?"  
  
"I will be nineteen in a week." She announced. "How old are you?"  
  
"Twenty one in one month." He replied. "I wonder, can I have time off to go to Delfino on my birthday?"  
  
She smiled. "Only if I can go too. Wow, I didn't think you were much older than me, and I was right."  
  
"We will see, won't we? In any case, happy birthday." He wondered if he was supposed to kiss her, as was his culture. He finally decided to ask her what she wanted for her birthday.  
  
She smiled, and answered. "I wanted a best friend, and I have one now." She annouced, giving him a hug. He rubbed her back, and breathed in the soft scent of honeysuckle that lingered in her lovely hair.  
  
"You're so sweet, I'm surprised you aren't married yet." He announced.  
  
"I've had many proposals, from Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Waluigi and Leo. Even Wario! He's one of my dear friends... He's gay, but he still loves me as a friend. He asked me to marry him until I found someone I loved to replace him with, that way I wouldn't be forced into marrying anyone I didn't love. I've also had a couple proposals from other people... but I didn't know them well enough... "  
  
"So you're picky then?" He questioned, with a slight smile.  
  
"No, I just don't believe people should marry unless they know it will be forever. Marriage is a lifetime commitment and it should be thought through carefully. Would you marry someone you didn't genuinely love? For instance, I could never marry someone as classless as Mario, or timid as Luigi. Bowser and Leo are too violent, and evil, and Waluigi is too strange. I would hate to ruin Wario's reputation... a gay man marrying a woman would make his callers turn away."  
  
"So you want someone polite, able and willing to stick up for himself and everything he loves, not violent, wicked, or strange?" He questioned. "And someone who you wouldn't crimp the style of?"  
  
She sat down in a chair and put her hands in her lap. "Yes, I suppose so. And it would be a plus if he was responsible, kind, handsome, and attracted to only me... someone who wanted to spend their life with me and only me. "  
  
He smirked. "When you find him, I want to marry him too." He joked.  
  
Avalon smiled and stood. Her peacock was asleep by Link's feet, and when she stood, it did also. "No, sorry, he's mine when I find him."  
  
He smiled at her affectionately, as she headed out with the bird in tow. "Doesn't he have to be nobility to marry you?"  
  
She paused and thought. "Well, if the chancellor approves of him, then it will be okay, even if he is a peasant! But the chancellor is very picky. Right now, he thinks I should marry King Leo." She rolled her eyes.  
  
"Someday tell me what Leo did to you. I wish to avenge you, your majesty. That is what a knight does. He defends his maiden."  
  
She looked away feeling quite nervous and ashamed. "You can't avenge me, but if you like, maybe I will tell you someday."  
  
He smiled. "I would like there to be no secrets between us, you see, best friends are there to share secrets, and keep them between one another. Confide in me and I will not disappoint you."  
  
She shyly looked away, "Well, I'm glad to hear that. I need someone I can trust." She put her hand on top of his, but quickly pulled it away as someone knocked on the door. The peacock tilted his head in curiosity. The princess rushed to answer the door.  
  
It was a cute little toadette with big blue eyes, and a white and silver mushroom cap. She wore a nice royal blue gown. This little toadette was one of the chancellor's attendants, and it was obvious by the colors she wore.  
  
"The Grand Chancellor wishes to speak with your new Knight in private." The little toadette announced.  
  
Avalon looked at Link, whom was now standing next to her. "Link? What's the matter then?" She questioned the assistant.  
  
"It is a private matter, I am not allowed to divulge details." She replied, sounding professional. "The Chancellor would not approve of me saying what the matter is..."  
  
Link nodded. "I have been here for two weeks nearly and your Chancellor hasn't even said more than a dozen words to me. Why the sudden interest?"  
  
The toadette looked at him and shrugged. "You'll find out in an hour." She nodded. "Your highness, you must get ready for the party tonight. It's a big day, the Chancellor planned a surprise for you." The toadette exited, and Link shut the door.  
  
"Why the sudden interest in me?" Link demanded. "Have I angered him?"  
  
Avalon giggled. "maybe he's letting you in on the surprise, and you're going to help? Oh, I can't wait to find out what it is!!! After you're done talking, come up and tell me what happened... what the surprise is! A birthday surprise!" She opened the door, and went, toward her dressing room which was down the hall to the left and up one more flight of stairs. The peacock followed, making a soft cooing noise.  
  
He looked confused, "Aren't you coming with me?"  
  
She continued down the hall. "The chancellor said 'alone' didn't he? I'm going to start getting ready. If I don't see you before the party then I'll see you during it."  
  
Link watched her go down the hall, and smiled. She was a really good friend; maybe more someday. This was the first time he ever really felt content at where he was.  
  
But, as it seemed, a few people were not content at him being there; namely Luigi and Waluigi. Waluigi bumped into Link in the hall, on purpose of course.  
  
"Hey, you, little blond boy, watch out where you're goin'!!" Waluigi announced. Luigi giggled and hid behind his hideously thin and tall evil twin.  
  
"Yeah, little blond boy!" He snickered.  
  
Link shoved Waluigi back, causing him to fall on top of Luigi. Luigi screamed in shock.  
  
"If a little boy could knock you both over, what does that make you two? Little girls?" He questioned, tilting his head and watching them struggling to get up.  
  
"We were next in line to be Knights, and you bumped us outta the competition!" Waluigi announced as he finally stood upright. "You're a real worm, and the Chancellor is gonna throw you out on your ass! He sees through your pretty looks." Waluigi insisted.  
  
"You've got funny ears too! You're a worm with funny ears and a... weird hat! Ha! You're a wiggler with ELF EARS!" Luigi laughed until his eyes teared up.  
  
"Don't forget the sword, too!" Link unsheathed his sword, and in one slash, he cut the suspenders on both of their pants. Luigi's face was as red as the hearts on his boxers; Waluigi's face was as yellow as his underwear.  
  
The pair pulled up their pants, dignity hurt, they rushed back to their room. "Better not wear suspenders tonight guys, you may end up being the 'ass' of everyones jokes!" Link cackled. No sooner had he said it then he realized how incredibly lame what he said was. He felt ashamed at his lack of creativity. 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 

"You're late." The chancellor hobbled back to his throne after meeting Link in the doorway. The cute little toadette from earlier shut the door tightly, and returned to her seat across the room between two other toadettes. "I said a certain time, and it has been four minutes past that. You think that you can be four minutes late in saving our Queen from an enemy? Those four minutes could mean her life!" The chancellor scowled as he sat in his throne.

"Your highness, last time I checked, Bowser didn't wear a watch." Link defended.

The chancellor snorted, and looked at another cute toadette, who was across the room, in her chair. "You, fetch me some wine... and some for our guest too." He paused, crossed his arms, and smirked at Link. "You're a smart aleck. I don't like it one bit."

Link sat in a silver chair that was in front of the chancellor. "I only speak my mind, if there is a crime in that then your kingdom is a sad one. I will never be late in saving her highness. A good knight is always there for his lady."

The chancellor chuckled. "Boy, I know why you're here, so don't try to blind me with chivalry. You need money, and she's an easy catch, isn't she?" he stood, and took the goblets of wine from the Toadette, handing one to Link. "Wouldn't take much of your 'loyalty' to get a couple million gold from her, would it? She bought you those fancy clothes you wear, swords of hardened steel with gold and jeweled hilts, each one worth a fortune on its own. You're making quite a killing with your act, boy."

"That's a damn lie." Link yelled, then whispered kindly to the little toadette. "I can't have any wine. I am on duty and I need my head clear." He stood, and started to walk out. "I will not stand to hear this... slur from you."

"Don't get defensive on my account, boy. You're the first of many. I'll make sure you're taken care of." The chancellor signaled for the toadette to give him Link's wine. He drank it in one gulp and put the cup next to the throne. "Sit back down or I will call the guards..."

"If you're accusing me of being dishonest and threatening me, you'd better have some good reason, besides assumptions." Link paused, and sat in his seat again. "I want to be her highness's King someday. I love her already, and I know soon I will love her enough to ask her."

The chancellor finished his last swig of wine, and threw the cup across the room, angered. "So that's your plan! You slithering slime of a snake... you won't settle with wealth, you want to own it all. That is impossible, she will not marry the likes of you. Even if she did want to marry you, I would not allow so." He whistled to the toadette who had locked the doors earlier. "Fetch me my silver treasure box."

The toadette hurried into a room off to the left.

"What do you mean by these accusations? I wish her no harm, and I don't know how I can prove my earnestness and loyalty. You won't even hear me out! You waste my time and yours with these accusations! And what do you mean by 'the likes of you'?"

"A young prince asked for her hand this morning, and made a handsome offer to me. Tonight he is coming to meet her. Any man who will pay ten million gold for a girl's hand must love her."

The toadette hurried in through the door, straining under the weight of the heavy box. Link stood, and assisted her, by picking up the load and carrying it to the chancellor himself.

The toadette breathed a 'thanks' and hurried out, knowing the chancellor would scold her.

"You thief! Get your hands off of my treasure!" The chancellor exclaimed as Link placed the box in front of the throne.

"You made her carry that? It must weigh seventy-five pounds, at the most she weighs fifty!"

"I am in charge, Boy, not you! The servants do as I say. You expect me to do servants work?" He grumbled, and opened the lid on the box. A golden light shone from it, and he rummaged around inside, pulling out a piece of paper, and a few dark red, almost black, gems. "You leave her highness be, turn around and never come back. Here is your reward for doing so." He handed the paper and jewels to Link. "You now own the whole dark kingdom. Her highness will never miss it; she didn't even know she owned it." He paused. "Those jewels are worth about fifty thousand gold each. You have plenty to start your kingdom up now, build a nice palace, buy a few servant girls to entertain you... wouldn't you much rather have ten slave girls than one queen?"

Link dropped the items and drew his sword. "You are a horrible man, bribing me. I do love her highness, and no amount of money will make me leave. You can't make me leave. I am her chosen knight. You say she is like a daughter to you, but yet you sold her away like livestock!!! You are no father, you are a greedy fool." He held the sword defensively. "The way you speak of milady is dishonorable, and in my kingdom, words like that would result in death. I know your cultures are different, so I will let you live, this time."

The chancellor held his breath for a moment. "Our kingdom's ways are different than yours. What I say goes. She has no say in anything while I am alive."

Link scoffed. "I'll change that once I have a chance. I promise you that." He put his sword back in it's holster, and stormed out. The golden doors slammed behind him, making the Chancellor jump in surprise. The treasure box rolled from his hands, jewels spilled everywhere. He cursed in anger, and shouted for the servants to gather it up again.

"You dare threaten me boy? I am the chancellor, and you are nothing more than the queen's toy! The whole army will be after you, I promise you that, if you make one move against me."

Link was already gone, he hadn't heard what the chancellor said, but he wouldn't have cared anyway. He was much too angry. The chancellor had rubbed him the wrong way, with his dishonesty and lack of morals. He cared for the young queen dearly, and he wouldn't stand for her being treated like property. He stormed up the stairs, contemplating going in to Avalon's dressing room to talk to her. He decided against it. This could anger the chancellor more, add fuel to his fire. He would talk to the queen tonight. He headed back to his room, throwing open the door, and sitting on the bed, deeply bothered.

"Link, what's the matter?" Theo, the snifit who was Link's servant to begin with, and now was his friend, approached. Link was sitting on his bed, his head in his hands.

"This kingdom is corrupt! Your chancellor is an evil man. He tried to bribe me into leaving the princess's side. He is afraid she will marry me. He thinks I am after her money because she buys me gifts."

Theo hopped up on Link's bed and sat next to him. "I know it's a lie. You know it's a lie. Her highness knows it's a lie. The chancellor doesn't have too much longer as ruler. Once the chancellor finds her highness a king, he will be forced to retire."

Link hung his head. "So she has no say. He was telling the truth."

Theo blinked twice, confused. "Who was right? What's going on?"

Link stood up, and walked over to the mirror, and placed his sword on a nearby table. "The chancellor has found her king. This prince... paid the chancellor ten million gold for the princess's hand. The princess hasn't even met him. The chancellor told me that she has no say in whether she wants him to be her king or not. I find that unfair."

The snifit waddled up behind Link. "That's how the kingdom works. Her highness plans on destroying all of the corrupt laws once she is in charge."

Link sighed, and hung his head. "I need to do something, but I don't know what. The man who the princess is destined to marry is someone she doesn't even know. Every person deserves the chance to marry for love, and only love."

Theo glanced at the clock on the wall. The minute hand made a jerky movement, and chimed the half-hour mark. It was five thirty. "Master Link, get in the shower, and I will find you something knightly to wear. You only have one half hour 'til the dinner begins. I have thought of a plan that might work."

Link nodded. "I will not let her marry someone she doesn't love. If it must be then I will kill her king." Link went through the carved door and into his bathing room, where he slammed the door, and disrobed.

The shower cleared his head, and energized him. He was finally getting used to the shampoo and soaps the princess had in there. His shampoo was mint, and his soap was a scent he didn't recognize but it was manly. He shaved his face and rinsed it, shut off the water, and dried off.

He wore boxers, which he found odd, yet comfortable. This pair was a soft silver pair made of silken threads....

"Theo, what is your plan?" Link put on his green silk pants and a knee length matching karate robe with a golden sash.

"Her highness loves you. Dress your best and the rest will work out itself."

Link slipped his sword into the sash, and put on some black socks and slippers.

"I like this outfit. It reminds me of the ones I wore before I came here."

"This is similar to the knight uniform that her highness's father wore when he was warrior. Her highness prefers this outfit."

Link nodded. "Smart Queen we have."


	9. Chapter 9

  
Chapter 9 

Avalon's eyes were bright and excited as she chatted to her seamstress who happened to be a yellow yoshi. "Maybe... he's stepping down and letting me be in charge! After all, he did promise to let me be in charge... once I was capable." She grumbled. "I was in charge until I brought back Link... then the chancellor said I was irresponsible... too much so to be queen."

"Don't fret your majesty. You will be in charge soon. The chancellor's heart can't last much longer. The things he eats..."

Avalon gazed at her reflection in the mirror; her hair curled in lovely ringlets, a dainty crown of silver and sapphires atop her head, her long gown of blue matching the jewels in her tiara, on her neck, and ears too. The gown was strapless with a velvet bodice, and bottom which was clingy and mermaid style, accented with a silver bow about her waist and a matching shawl. She frowned at herself. "I don't want him to die. He's like my father in a way."

"The kingdom will do much better under your ruling, your highness. We all know you wish him no harm."

Avalon put on her sparkling sheer lip gloss, and slippers. "I do hope I take the throne soon. There are a few changes I want to make."

The seamstress nodded. "You ready to go down there?"

Avalon smiled. "Yes. I have a feeling this will be the best birthday I've ever had!"

The yellow yoshi was wearing a flattering red gown and a matching bow atop her head. She hurried downstairs to join the others in the dining room.

Link was in front of the stairs, pacing. He wanted to talk to Avalon before dinner. Should he tell her? He decided he should. Best to have her prepared. He had heard that the fiancée was already in the dining room waiting to see her.

Avalon started down the stairs, and as she saw Link, her pace quickened. "Link, you look handsome!"

He smiled, and took her hand. "Milady, you look beautiful." He paused and looked down at the floor. "Your highness, I have some news... about your surprise..."

"Please don't tell me. I don't wish it to be spoiled." She said, giddily.

"It's already been spoiled...." He patted her hand, supporting.

She pulled her hand away. "What do you mean?"

He sighed, and frowned. "Your chancellor found you a king, and tonight you meet him... this particular man paid ten million to have you as his bride."

Avalon laughed. "Silly, Link. I won't fall for it. It's all part of the plan... to get me worried before the big surprise, then I'll be really shocked." She shoved past link.

"I'm not joking!" He grabbed her shoulders. "The chancellor tried to pay me off, to get me to leave and never come back... he doesn't want me to interfere with you and your new king. He offered me half of the kingdom... a half you don't know about... called the Dark Kingdom! You have to believe me..."

Avalon's eyes widened. "You're not lying, are you?"

Link took her hands. "I wish I was, Avalon, but it is all true."

"What do I do? What kind of man would sell his daughter?" She began to wring her hands with worry.

Link embraced her for a moment. "Just be strong, okay? Let's go in there and act like nothing happened. I'll go in first." He let go of her and hurried into the dining room. Avalon was just behind him.

And she did enter the room, head held high and proud, ready to tell this person to take back his bribe and go.

"Ah, Princess Avalon, I am so pleased to meet you." The voice announced. "I have heard so very much about you..."

It was her fiancée presumably. He was quite handsome, brown hair like Link's, bright green eyes and a charming smile. He was medium build, had a nice olive skin tone, and a British accent.

She blinked her eyes three times, and smiled slightly. "N... nice to meet you too." She let out a sigh of relief. She could have been stuck with someone worse. It would be easy to break it off with this guy.

"I see that you two get along well enough. Happy birthday, Avalon, you have a king now."

Avalon said nothing, but threw the Chancellor a displeased look, and headed for her spot at the table. Next to her, sat her so-called king to be.

"That's my father's chair!" She announced. "That chair is not to be used! Ever! Get up! You'll soil it!"

The man did not stand. "This is the king's chair. I am the king. I see no harm in that. Let's sit and eat."

She put her hands on her hips. "Get out of my father's chair! NOW!"

He looked embarrassed, and shocked, as he stood, and huffed, pulling out a chair across the table form the Queen.

"That's my knight's spot." She gestured toward Link, who sat in the chair.

"Thank you for pulling it out for me." Link announced. "You're too kind, really." He slapped the suitor on the back, and the suitor cringed.

"You are most certainly not welcome!" The future king grumbled. "Where do I sit?" He demanded. "This is my castle, or it will be soon. I, Prince Geofard, deserve a dignified spot next to my future bride."

Avalon pointed to a chair in the middle and to the left. On either side sat two yoshis, one an advisor, the other his mate. "We don't have a seat for you. You'll have to sit there until we make you a spot. The yoshi that usually sits in that chair is sick so you can take his place I suppose. He has some sort of disease, and he's seeing the doctor tonight to find out if it's contagious or not." Avalon coughed, and rubbed her temple, acting slightly ill.

The guest recoiled, and made a horrified gasp as he stood in the corner of the dining room near Link's chair.

Link chuckled and almost coughed on his wine. He knew what Avalon was trying to do. She was never this rude to anyone, or this disgusting. She was trying to get him to back out of the marriage. It seemed as if it was working. Link guzzled his wine, and belched loudly. He would join the fun. Soon this prince would leave, thinking the palace was unruly.

"I need more wine!" He screamed impolitely at a toad. "Hurry or I'll flog you, brute!"

The toad's eyes grew big and round, as he fetched Link's goblet, and ran to the kitchen. "Hell, bring me the whole flask! No use makin' your little legs overwork themselves..."

The chancellor stood in his seat. "I thought you didn't drink?" He called to Link, who was acting drunken.

"It's a party! Everyone drinks at parties! WOOHOO!" He exclaimed, as he pointed at another toad. "You're lookin' pretty... You can stay in my suite tonight, girlie. I insist! Bring your two cutest sisters... and their best friends!"

The toad looked horrified, as she clutched her hands to her chest. "You beast!" She slapped at him.

Link turned. "You're queen is lookin' good too, but I prefer the little ones!" He grasped for the toad again. She leapt from her chair screaming, and left the room. "Of course, the queen is looking better by the moment... She's less vocal and high strung."

"You're so uncouth, sir! First thing when I am King, you are fired!"

Avalon smiled. "I signed a contract! He works here for the next ten years, and he gets whatever he wants as payment, aside from money!" She beamed and looked at Link. "He likes the toads well enough, and the wine we have, so I don't complain. Please, Link, don't get drunk and vomit on this suitor like you did to the last one..."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 

Link held his stomach. "I guess I won't get too close to him. Better put him in another seat. This one's too close for how full I am..."

Avalon snapped her fingers at a toad. "You, fetch a chair for him. He can sit next to my father's chair I suppose."

The toad rushed off, to find the most uncomfortable chair he could.

Avalon smiled at him warmly. "So how did you meet the chancellor? When did you decide to ask me to be your queen?"

He fixed his tie, and winked at her. "My dear, I have always loved your pretty face. Ever since you and... that fat guy with the red outfit broke off your attachments I've been waiting to meet you face to face. I must say.. you are more gorgeous than any other creature I could ever imagine..."

The toad returned with a broken folding chair. When the suitor sat in it, the thing collapsed in a heap, after it stuck him with a rusty nail.

He was helped out of the rubble by a couple clumsy yoshis who tried to make it more difficult on him. Soon his hair was tousled, his suit dirty and ripped, and his face red with anger.

"My! You're having a rather big dish of bad luck, aren't you? Maybe you should have stayed home tonight..." Avalon whispered to him, trying to restrain the laughter as best she could. "My, I can't believe they gave you that chair to sit in... that black insignia on the arm is bad luck... Some ancient pagan tribe had it, then gave it to someone in my family as a wedding gift. After my ancestor died in that chair, we've had it off limits... Now it's off limits forever I guess."

He dusted himself off. "Where do I sit now, your highness?"

She waved to a toad, who immediately rushed to get another chair. "Please find one that's not cursed!" She picked up her teacup and took a sip.

The suitor stood by Avalon, somewhat nervously. He shyly smiled at her. "We have a few repairs that need to be done when I move in... Before our son arrives."

Avalon put her teacup down rather roughly. "I cannot bear children. Didn't you know that?"

The suitor blinked three times. "Then we will find someone who can give me a child... I need a son. You will raise it as your own. As soon as we are married, I will find an attractive woman."

Avalon seemed horrified. "You will not sleep with another woman if we are married. I will not allow it."

The prince laughed. "You must be joking. You expect me to go without a child?"

"I have already decided to adopt an underprivileged child, and when my king and I pass on, they will take the throne."

He snorted, and looked away from her, as if disgusted. "How sweet. You're going to give some flea-bitten mutt a chance to be best of show. Doesn't that make you feel happy? I think underprivelaged children should be slaughtered like livestock. Save us royalty from troubles, revolting peasants and such."

Avalon slammed her palms on the table, and stood. "You are such a negative human being! My great great grandfather was a 'mutt' whom the King and Queen took in. He became King as soon as he turned twenty! My bloodline, our throne, stemmed from a 'mutt.' Do you insult everyone's bloodline when you enter their palace?"

He gasped. "Why you aren't even real royalty! If I knew you weren't of noble blood then I would never have asked for your hand!"

She pointed toward the door. "Out! You are not king quality! You aren't even human enough to LIVE!!"

The suitor was fuming by this time. "I want my money back, Chancellor! The deal is off! You should have paid ME to marry this... stupid wench!"

Link literally jumped from his spot at the table, drew his weapon, and pushed the suitor into a wall, the sword at his throat. "You! Don't call her a stupid wench! She is neither stupid nor a wench. In fact, she is much too smart and beautiful to settle for a king who has to pay for a queen. Why can't you find a 'stupid wench' to marry in your own kingdom?"

He was so scared he couldn't breathe.

"Get your uncouth funny accent ass out of here before I get mad at you!" Link dropped him to the floor like a bag of garbage.

The suitor scrambled to his feet and hurried toward the door. "I expect my money back in one week!" He yelled at the frightened Chancellor, and the door slammed.

The chancellor sat in his chair, jaw agape, clutching his green handkerchief in disbelief.

"I HATE YOU!" Avalon screamed as she threw her wine glass at him. He raised his arms to shield the blow. "You dirty old scoundrel! Pack your things and be out tomorrow or I will have the guards carry you out in pieces! I considered tonight your formal resignation...."

"Come on, Avalon, you must be joking. It was for your own good that I found you a suitor. You don't want to be lonely do you?" He followed her down the hall.

"I'm not lonely, and if I was, I would rather be lonely than sold like... a chicken at the market or something! Maybe you don't get it. I don't want you to be chancellor any longer. I want you out of office! That way I can take over and fix the corrupt laws you put in place. I still can't figure out why you added them in the first place! I want to live my own life, I am sick of you controlling it! I am quite capable of choosing my own king."

"I find that hard to believe, your highness. You've been eyeing that beast you brought back with you from Delfino. Like your great grandparents, you always find a lost puppy. Lost puppies often become rabid dogs when they grow up. You know nothing about that creature you brought back. It isn't even human!!"

Avalon stomped her foot. "He is from star haven, just like I am! I don't care if his ears are different! I like his elfin ears! I think they're very cute! In case you didn't notice, my ears are also slightly pointy! So do you think I am a 'beast?"

"You are not a beast! You are a young queen who is much too naive to rule by herself. I will find you a king and then you can take over. But I will not allow you to marry someone like... him. He is unruly, and he's not even the same specie as you."

She crossed her arms. "You know that cute little toad who has those weird purple-silver spots on his head? He's the only toad who's ever had spots like that, right? And he does a good job as a yoshi trainer?"

The chancellor nodded. "Yes, he does! He's one of the best we have."

"Then the man I love has ears different than mine, does that mean he is incapable of being King? I don't see how it does." She tapped her foot impatiently, her arms firmly crossed in front of her chest.

"He is not going to rule this kingdom! If you want to marry him, then by all means, do it! But just remember that you will be letting down your whole kingdom when I kick you and your husband out of the palace and on to the streets."

Avalon grumbled. "You are a lowly being. Pond scum is too good of a name to call you. You would kick your daughter out just for... following what her heart tells her. I'm leaving, and I won't be back until you change your mind, or die. And no, you aren't invited to the wedding." She announced, as she turned, and headed back into the dining room.

Link was helping clean off the table. When he saw her, he excused himself and approached her. "Ava, you look upset, what happened?"

She looked at him. "I've been kicked out of the palace."

Link gave her a confused look. "Why? How?"

"Because I told him I wanted to marry you."

Link blushed, and pulled her close. "I... I am speechless. I can't believe how courageous you are... I've been wanting to ask you to marry me, but I figured you were too good for me."

Avalon pulled away from him. "That's not true. Neither of us is better than the other. If I thought you were lowly, I wouldn't want you as my king."

He kissed her hand. "You go pack up whatever things you want. I'll gather my few belongings, and we'll get out of here. Maybe we should stay for tonight at least. We can leave at early light."

"I think that's a good idea. You go tell the chancellor we're staying tonight and leaving tomorrow at 5 AM." She ran her hand along his face, and smiled warmly at him. "It's just a standoff, we'll be back in the palace within the day. He's just testing to see how much I like you."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 

The chancellor shook his head and watched as Avalon and Link left the palace. Avalon hadn't taken much, just all of her jewelry and a few outfits, necessities to last a week at most. She planned to stay in the finest hotel in Toad town until the Chancellor gave in. At one thousand gold a night, she figured he wouldn't even notice the money missing.

Avalon stood in front of the mirror in the hotel and brushed her hair. Link sat on the bed and watched her. "You know what? I think you should tell all of your townspeople what happened. I bet they all have problems with the chancellor."

She tilted her head, and thought for a moment. "You know what? I think you're right." She sat next to him on the bed. "If he doesn't contact me soon, I will. I don't really like to cause problems but I will if I have to. I am destined to take the throne. I doubt any other ruler will treat my people as well as I will. I don't want to fight with him though..."

He put his hands on her shoulders. "He started problems, not you. Remember that. He's the one who started all of this. You're just trying to better this land, and protect yourself."

She nodded. "Yes Link, but two wrongdoing don't make it right. " She continued to brush her hair, as Link watched her, fascinated by her every movement. "Link, what's the matter? You never stare..."

"Can I brush your hair?" He questioned, hope in his voice.

Avalon felt a bit perplexed by his motive, but handed the brush to him anyhow. As he brushed her hair, he thought to himself. Maybe he could convince Avalon to buy a small farm. Maybe he could till the fields, and come in at night to see his wife. Maybe being away from the palace would help calm both of their nerves. He was sure the mere thought would horrify her. After all, she was royalty. She would not want to do peasant's work.

"Marry me, tonight." Link exclaimed, without thinking, as he put the brush in her hands.

"Tonight? Link? Are you feeling okay?" She asked, as she felt his forehead with the back of her hand.

Link pulled her hand away. "I feel wonderful, Avalon. I said tonight, and I meant tonight. Why not? We can have a small wedding, maybe just us and a minister."

Avalon blushed. "You're joking, thank the stars..."

Link took her hands, and nodded urgently. "I'm not joking! I mean it! Let's do it! I mean, I know I love you, and you know that you love me, right? Then why are we wasting our time? We can have a wedding in the town square here, everyone in town can witness it and you can tell them why the chancellor is not invited. You want the people on your side. That would be a good way."

Avalon looked away dreamily. "Or we could fly off to Delfino..."

He smiled brightly. "That's a rather good idea too. It's up to you. Either way, Let's get married tonight."

She stood up, and paced in front of the window. "Maybe we shouldn't. I mean... until last night, I didn't know I really and truly loved you. Darling, are we rushing things? What if we fight?"

"We won't fight. I don't fight unless it's an enemy, or a spar. I'm very pleasant, darling."

Avalon sat in the window seat. "Well, we still shouldn't get married tonight. It would make us look bad..."

Link was next to her now. "Avalon, darling, doesn't it look rather bad that we're staying in this suite together? The Queen and her Knight are staying in a suite with one bed, and they aren't married, Avalon. I bet the townsfolk are talking about your questionable actions right this moment. I bet if we got married they would think nothing of it."

Avalon looked down on the bustling, well-kept and clean town square. "I suppose you're right... and I do love you, so it won't hurt anything, right?"

He gave her a tight squeeze. "That's my girl. I sure love you..."

She smiled. "Now how are we going to pull this off... in one night..."

"I'm not sure how your weddings work here, but... in my world, the bride gets measured for her gown, and then wears it to the wedding. The groom purchases his bride a crown she will wear atop her head, and that's just about it."

"Well in my world, I buy my headpiece and my dress. You go get a tuxedo..."

Link smiled at her warmly. "I want to buy you your 'head piece...' it is a tradition in my family."

She hugged him, happily. "I'll let you, then." She announced with a smile. "Now, since that's settled," She pulled away from him, and looked out the window. "Hmm, I need to hire a decorator to do-up the town square, maybe the whole town... then, I'll find a caterer, a baker to make our wedding cake, and a minister. Maybe I should hire a few decorators...one might not be enough.... maybe ice sculptors too?"

He shook his finger. "Not too fancy. If it's too fancy the chancellor might show up. We don't want that. We just want word to get back to him, right?"

She nodded. "I agree with you." She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "If the chancellor showed up, it would be a catastrophe. Let's meet for lunch, let's say, in front of here, at noon?"

Link gave her a kiss on the cheek too. "Sounds wonderful to me." As Avalon left, he went through his wardrobe. He found things to pawn off to buy her a ring. He also decided to go see how expensive it would be to buy a two or three bedroom farmhouse, with indoor plumbing and the comforts of home, plus enough pasture for animals. He had a feeling it would be awhile until the Chancellor backed down, and he knew that the Chancellor was going to take away Avalon's use of the credit card.

Link looked over the house, pleased at his decision. It was a small, remodeled farmhouse, but he had mostly bought it for the large amount of fertile grassland, and the freshwater creek. The house itself was nice, but he knew Avalon would cry when she saw it. He could afford the house, with his belongings... He kept four nice outfits, and all six swords Avalon had bought him, knowing she would be upset if he sold off these.

He did sell off nearly all of the gems he had found while exploring his island near Delfino. He figured that with the two remaining shining green stones and the one blue, he could get a few cattle, some chickens, and supplies for the house. He would go back, fetch Avalon's two horses from the palace, and surprise her with them. That wouldn't be for a few more days. She had paid off a 3-night stay at the toad town hotel and they would reside there for a while.

Avalon wore the red dress with white spots, and all the accessories when she met him for lunch. The very same outfit she wore the day she had brought Link home with her from Delfino. He recognized the outfit, and smiled.

"I remember that outfit. It still looks wonderful on you."

Avalon beamed with happiness, and sprang at Link. He hugged her tightly, and kissed her cheek. "You don't need to keep flattering me. I already agreed to marry you." She announced, with happiness in her voice.

Link took her hands, and squeezed them lovingly. "You look happy. I never thought I'd see you like this again, after how much you cried last night, and this morning before we left."

"I'm happy, just to be with someone I care for this much. Soon we will be husband and wife, and hopefully, even sooner, we will be King and Queen again."

"You're so perfect." He tapped her nose lovingly. "How did I get so lucky?"

She blushed. "You didn't get lucky. I got us kicked out of the palace, and now we're peasants..."

"Love, let's consider this our honeymoon. Newlyweds always go somewhere new, right?"

"I guess so. I wanted us to go to Delfino, but the chancellor deactivated my charge card. I had to sell some jewelry to buy my dress. We're just going to have a decorator, no cake or anything..."

He kissed her cheek. "I get to go out to dinner with my beautiful bride tonight. I'm happy the Chancellor cut off your money supply." As they headed into the beautiful hotel, and up to their third story room.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 

As they entered the room, Link locked the door and Avalon turned to him.

"I am not happy that he did that. We don't have enough money to stay in our hotel past our three nights I paid up front. I'm down to my last three thousand gold."

Link gasped, being sarcastic, of course. "That's horrible!"

"It is horrible, for me! Now we'll have to stay in a regular suite... how dreadful! I hate staying in less than royal places." She pouted.

"Well, as angry as the chancellor is, darling, you need to get used to staying in lower class places. You shouldn't be embarrassed about that. You're standing up for what you believe in, and if you really do love me, then you should enjoy being a peasant."

She hung her head for a moment. "I'm not a brat, Link. I do not mean to sound like one. I just don't like the idea of a king and queen living in a farmhouse. I will feel better though once the remodeling is done. I had a new bathroom, and kitchen put in. I also ordered some furniture and curtains."

Link let go of her hands in surprise. "How did you know about the farmhouse?"

Avalon took his hands again. "One of the people at the bank stopped me." She replied. "And told me about a handsome stranger with pointed ears, wearing a very rich looking robe and suit, with a sword of gold at his side. He asked me why such a wealthy man would buy a pitiful little farm, and I went out there. I also had a phone line put in. I also ordered some things like pots and pans, towels, bath stuff..."

"Darling, we can't afford things like that."

"I paid it all off before the chancellor took my account away." She smiled, and kissed his cheek.

He let go of her hands. "Avalon, you have to get used to not having money. I know it's going to be hard, but some things in life are more important than new tubs and stoves. We had a perfectly good kitchen and bathroom, and we don't need a phone when we live on a farm."

Avalon's eyes started to water. "I want to be a good wife to you, but I don't know how. I didn't want to make you mad at me."

"Ava, darling, I'm not mad at you. I'm just worried that we're going to go bankrupt."

She sniffled. "It's really hard to go through such drastic changes... yesterday, I had all of the money I could ever need, and today, I had to buy a peasant's wedding gown, just so I could have a tub and shower in my bathroom."

"I know it's going to be tough on you, that's why I'm reminding you."

"Okay." She replied, sounding quite saddened. "I just... can't handle this lifestyle."

"Yes you can. You are a very strong woman. I saw how you fight. You are very strong, and beautiful. The most strong and beautiful girl I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. I bet you are the fairest woman alive."

'I'm going to be an ugly housewife...' She thought to herself. 'I'm going to get fat, and wear rags... I'm going to smell like cows and chickens... Link's going to leave me, and I'm going to die alone.'

"Avalon, darling, that expression on your face... please don't cry my love. There is no reason to. I love you dearly, and we'll get through this." He held her close and stroked her hair. "I want you to know that I love you, and I did the moment your beautiful personality showed. That first night we met, while you slept in the guest room on my island, I heard you crying and I wanted to come in and comfort you. I wasn't bold enough, and if I had, I'm sure you would have never trusted me at all, never loved me."

"I know that we can make it through this, Link. I'm going to try my hardest to be a good wife." She promised, as she shook her head and the tears went away. "And starting now, I won't cry anymore."

"You need to cry, when you're upset. It doesn't bother me one bit, love. If you don't cry, I won't know if something's bothering you, and I can't comfort you."

"I'll try not to cry. I'm not going to be a brat about this. I left that kingdom to be with you, and I will stay with you even if we die in that little farmhouse."

Link kissed her lips lightly. "We won't. We'll save up money and remodel it. I bought a couple horses, and I'm going to bring yours back from the palace, along with their supplies. I already phone Theo. He will be moving in with us relatively soon. Today he has agreed to ready the horse's things, so I can fetch them in a few days. I figure we can make money by breeding your beautiful horses, and selling chicken eggs."

Avalon nodded. "Breeding OUR horses, Link. Nothing is 'yours or mine' anymore. Well, not after this evening, right my husband to be?"

He nodded. "Right, my bride to be."

"Let's go get lunch now."

"I'm not hungry." Link announced, as he leaned against the wall.

"I'm too nervous to be hungry. I arranged the ceremony to take place at six o clock this evening in front of the church here in town. I invited Theo to the wedding. He'll have to be your best man. He'll be here at four to help you get ready. All of the other guys will show up about five..."

Link smiled. "And who exactly are 'the other guys'?"

"Booster, Mallow, and Wario."

"And who's helping you get ready?"

"Bow and my dear sister Cherry. I'm surprised she's in this area. She's actually getting married this week too. It's quite a strange coincidence... also, in the town square..."

Link kissed Avalon's cheek. "I'm very excited about this. Everything... We're going to have a farm. A beautiful farm, with lovely little chickens and ducks, and beautiful male and cute little plain female peacocks to kill the snakes that will come to eat the chickens... And the ponies our two horses will have... beautiful little fillies and stallions with their glossy coats and bright eyes..."

Avalon smiled. "It sounds very nice."

Silence for a moment... Link was actually looking forward to farm life, but he felt guilty that his bride was going to loathe it. He wasn't looking forward to the meals she was going to make... knowing her, she would try to make him a meal, but with no experience in the kitchen, she would burn everything. Maybe Link would cook instead.

Avalon had something else in mind. She was going to start cooking lessons with Tayce T. the following morning. She hoped to learn to cook well enough to make Link happy. He would be disappointed with his meals unless she learned to cook them well.

The queen already new how to bake cakes, cookies, and pies to die for, but she had never cooked a real meal before. How surprised her king would be when he came in to his meal, roasted duck with truffles, white button mushrooms and potatoes, a delicious apple pie for dessert! He would be so pleased with her.

"Darling, I'm going to leave now." Link announced as he gave her a peck on the cheek. "I'll see you tonight at six."

"I'll see you then." She replied, as she looked around for her handbag. She had many things to do, and she had to go soon too.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 

Leo grumbled. "I can't believe someone is willing to marry her after what I did. I claimed her! That wench! I bet she didn't tell him. That must be it. She's still mine..."

Cherry looked over at her fiancée. Cherry had hair, long and full like Avalon's but she dyed it black. Her and Avalon were identical twins, but Cherry was much different. She wore evil-looking clothes, her makeup harsh but sexy. She wore a black dress that was a tight leather corset in the top, and full black tulle on the bottom. Her black hair was up in two spiked buns, with red roses around them.

"I thought you loved me." Cherry pouted.

"I do love you. You're going to be my queen, aren't you? I asked for your hand because I love you... You do know that I love you, right?"

"I don't know anymore." She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You love my sister. You can't love two women at once."

"I hate your sister. I thought that I loved her, but now I know that I never did. I just want her to be miserable, like she made me all of those years."

"I don't want her love life to be miserable! I love her! You know I don't hate Avalon, otherwise I wouldn't go to her wedding. I didn't go to Daisy's when she got married because I do not like Daisy. I wish your obsession with my sister would go away. If you don't stop it, I'm going to leave you forever, and you'll never have an heir to your throne. I want my sister to be married, I want her to have a king that loves her, and treats her well. She deserves one. Don't do anything to alter their love. I mean it."

"My lovely little demon, I won't allow you to leave me. I love you too much. I won't hurt their marriage. I am still going to tell her groom about her and I before they are wed. If he loves her, he will stay around."

"I agree, and I will allow you to tell him, in fact, I insist that you do. But please, when you go to see him, don't start a fight! I don't want either of you hurt. That man she's marrying is very strong. I hate to say it, but he's your equal, maybe even stronger and faster than you are! "

"I promise." He smiled, and gestured for her to approach him as he sat on his mahogany throne, carved of spikes and the dark star spirits. "Sit on my lap, darling."

She blushed a bit, and she sat on his knees.

"You never need to worry about my love for you." He kissed her cheek lightly. "And as for you saying that your sister's husband is stronger, you know that's a lie."

"I don't know. I'm worried that he might kill you..." She whispered. "You aren't invincible to a light star spirit guardian. You know that."

"I do know that. But I am the dark star spirit priest..."

"And I am your guardian."

"I outrank him, he would never harm me. He can't do it. Now, your sister could kill me if she became fast and strong enough. We are the same rank." He informed her.

"I know you're the same rank, my king. She would never kill my husband. But, she might still hurt you if you make her angry enough."

"I don't think she has it in her to be angry."

"Oh yes, she does. You don't know her well enough."

"I know her pretty well." He insisted.

"Just because of that... that doesn't mean that you know her well. I've been her sister for the last nineteen years."

"Yes, but you didn't know her until less than two years ago." He announced, as he put his arm around her waist.

"So? I still know her better than you do. We confide in one another." She put her arms around his neck.

"So you can get dirt on her, and tell me, right my love?" He hugged her tightly.

"She's my sister, and I'm trustable. I would never endanger Ava and I's bond." Cherry struggled to be free of his grasp. He wouldn't let go his embrace.

"But you would endanger mine and yours?" He let her free. She hopped off his lap. She was supposed to be at her hotel in toad town. Avalon would be there in a half an hour.

"I never said that! Now darling, you and Avalon's little feud... she doesn't tell me things financial wise, or about her armies. We talk about or love life, personal matters... "

"Oh, so nothing I would be interested in?" He announced.

"No, not really anything you would want or need to know." Cherry put on her shiny leather stiletto heels. "I have to go now. I'll see you at Avalon's wedding."

"I'll see you there, darling."

He couldn't wait to see Avalon's reaction when she discovered that Cherry was marrying him. She might faint! Imagine, fainting at her own wedding, making herself a joke in front of all of her townsfolk. Leo wasn't going to hurt Link and Avalon's love life, or so he promised Cherry. Though he did love his soon-to-be queen, he still couldn't resist a bit of tampering.

"I promised her I wouldn't affect their love life, and I don't think that impregnating Avalon would affect it. Link will never know the baby isn't his." He said to one of the spikeys that clung to the side of his throne. Though the spikey couldn't talk, it knew what the evil king had said.

"I think he would notice, when he and his queen are both blond with fair skin, and the baby pops out with black hair and brown eyes. Ha, that would be a laugh!!"

Leo's sister walked in the room.

"Shut up, Alexandria... I never asked you."

Leo's sister was twenty-four. She had olive skin, and chin length hair that was sparkling silver. She was a magician, and wore the classic female attire for the kingdom, a kneelengh tulle skirt of dark blue, and a tube top of silver, with dangling blue and gold beads. On her ankles and wrists she wore lovely swirled jewelry of gold, and in her hair a pair of matching clips. She also wore golden slippers.

"You shut up, and stop with all of this. I'm not going to put up with your childish ways any longer. I could zap you into oblivion, if I so desired." She rubbed her hands together, and smiled at him.

"You're just jealous because I am marrying a beautiful woman and I own another in the neighboring kingdom." He was of course referring to Avalon.

"You don't own that girl. Nobody owns her. She is the daughter of a star spirit. You will try, and fail, over and over until you implode upon yourself. And if you did own her, why would you let her marry?"

"I do own her. I am letting that man borrow her for breeding purposes."

"I thought that was what you wanted her for." She smirked. "You know, there is a legend, that only a man who is equal or greater than a star priestess can give her a child. That would be either you, Link, or Geno. Since Geno is married already, and Avalon would never allow you to touch her, that means Link will be the father of her child."

"She will let me touch her, you will see. She is allowed one pregnancy, and if I succeed, the dark star spirits will be so proud of me, they will make me the next star spirit, and my beautiful bride Cherry will be my second in command."

"You know that Cherry won't stand for that. She will leave you. Do you love your bride more, or the idea of being a god?"

He thought for a moment. "I love Cherry much more."

"Then forget your silly plans. If I had a girlfriend as precious as Cherry I would never give her up. I've been looking, you know."

Leo nodded. "Yes, I know."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14 

Avalon and Bow were visiting before Cherry arrived.

"Oh, Avalon, you never did show me the pictures of that finacee' of yours."

Avalon blushed. "Just remember, he's going to be my husband. He's so handsome, and strong, not to mention he is very sweet. He's so perfect..."She said dreamily.

"Just show me the ones you took of him while he was asleep on your plane."

Avalon giggled. "Don't ever tell him I showed you. He doesn't know I took them."

"Why did you take them then?" Bow questioned.

Avalon blushed and put her ahnds to her cheeks. "I thought he was an angel. I wanted to see if he showed up on film."

Bow laughed at Avalon. "he can't be that beautiful."

Avalon reached into her bag, and pulled out the photo album of Link. She took it everywhere. Bow opened it up, and gasped. "Oh my heavens... Avalon, you do want to better your kingdoms conditions? How would you like one million gold to help your people?"

Avalon smiled. "Oh that would be so helpful!!!"

"Good, because King Nimbus is offering one million gold to anyone who can get this guy's autograph for him. King nimbus has a statue of him in his palace."

Avalon gasped, and scrambled for the phone.

"I thought the statue was pretty, but this guy is beautiful." Bow whispered. "And I was right, he is marrying a drop dead gorgeous human with blond hair and a small waist."

"King Nimbus is coming to the wedding now. He said that he was excited. He wants to shake Link's hand and have a picture taken with him."

Bow laughed and fanned herself. "You know what? It's so sad that your dreadful sister Daisy isn't coming. The wicked bitch she is, she refuses to attend because your king isn't human. Isn't that rude? I think if you love him, it is wonderful. If I married a koopa, I bet your sister wouldn't come to the wedding either. Your sister is a cow, and she married a pig. Nobody I know complained about THAT marriage."

Avalon smiled, as she started toward the bath. "I was a little upset, but once I met Link, I was over it."

"I would have been over anything after meeting a hunk like him. I mean, as sad as this may sound, Leo and Link are the two most attractive men I've ever met."

Avalon grimaced at the mention of the name.

"I'll pick up your dress from across the way while you are bathing." Bow announced.

"Alright." Avalon called from beyond the locked door. She was using Cherry's hotel room shower. Cherry also stayed in the finest suite, just a different hotel. The bellhop had let Avalon in, knowing she was trustable.

Bow hurried out through the door, literally. No need to lock it, because she hadn't unlocked it. Across the street, Avalon's dress was being finished. Bow floated in, and made her way toward the counter. To her utter shock, the handsome groom-to-be was in there, whispering to the florist.

"I want it to be a surprise, so make sure you don't tell ANYBODY. My lovely little Avalon knows everyone in town, so one slip could cause the whole thing to be ruined. I want to surprise her. I think this will be a good one."

The florist nodded. He was a blue yoshi with a strange clump of orange hair on top of his head. "This is a great surprise. I can't wait to see it happen. The whole town is shutting down so that we can all see your wedding."

"This will cheer her up, I hope. She's really upset about the thought of living on a farm."

Bow became invisible and eavesdropped.

"I don't blame her. Losing the kingdom... that's got to feel awful. That man should pay for what he did. And what he's doing to Avalon's sisters too? Did you hear what he did to Cherry? There are rumors flying all over about him."

"Avalon cringes at the mention of his name. I will avenge her, when I get the chance I'm going to do to him just what he did to her. Exactly... he will hurt when I'm finished. He will cry like a little girl..."

Bow cringed. She knew they were talking about Leo. He had taken over the kingdom, and now Link was going to rape him.

Bow appeared. "Link, don't do it! You can't sink to his level! Even though he hurt your queen, you have got to let it go! Leo will get what's coming to him! Don't rape him!!"

Link's jaw dropped. "I never said I was going to do that!!"

"You just said you were going to do to him what he did to her..."

Link's eyes got a sort of mystical flame in them, as he rushed past Bow, not knowing he could go through her, which would have been easier. He would kill Leo the very next time he saw him. It was time. He had finally found out what happened, and it was too late to stop his decision.

Link got dressed, silent, rarely speaking more than one or two sentences when the boys tried to make conversation.

"You look... really mad Link. What's the matter?" Wario sat next to Link on the bed.

"Leo is going to die tonight. I am going to kill him with my bare hands... A little green ghost told me about why Avalon hates him so much... now I hate him even more than she does."

Mallow, Booster and Wario all looked at one another, then back at Link. Mallow spoke up. "Um, what did he do?"

"He took away her innocence! That brute attacked my princess, and defiled her! Oh, my poor darling..." He paced, his hands behind his back.

Wario stood up. "You mean, what's what happened? I never knew... Now I hate the guy. Bow knew all along and she didn't say anything to us. I guess it's something that was supposed to be kept between the two of them."

"Well she let it slip, and now we're all gonna go after Leo." Wario announced, jumping from the bed, and searching for a weapon of some sort. "Let's go, guys."

"You are not going anywhere." Link snapped, unsheathing his sword. "I swore to avenge her, and I will. A good knight always keeps his promises." He whispered, as he bolted for the door.

Bow floated inside the room. "You are not going to ruin this day, Link. Avalon is very excited, and bloodshed on her wedding day might just ruin everything for her."

Link sheathed his sword again. "You should have told me what... that beast did to my queen. I could have finished him off months ago."

"She's ashamed because of it! She would die if she found out you all knew! Just let it go, Link, Wario, Booster, and you too Mallow... let it go."

Mallow cracked his fluffy little cloud-man knuckles. "I can't let it go. I don't see how any of us can, really. Maybe not today, but someday, all of us will get in our licks, for Avalon's pride. I will never let her find out why I harmed Leo, but I have a feeling he will know why."

"I can't let it go either. Avalon stood up for me when I announced that I was gay, and my brothers kicked me out of the house. She let me move in with her, and she never felt uncomfortable having me around at all. I can't just let Leo get away with it. I won't ruin her day, I will beat up on Leo when Avalon is happy at home, away from knowing what's happening."

Bow appeared directly in front of Link and shook her fan at him, squinting her eyes with anger. "What's this about you two losing the kingdom to somebody and living in a farm house?" She demanded.

"I don't think I should tell you, any of you, it would just make you angrier than you are already!" He exclaimed.

"Tell me!" Bow yelled. Being that she was a boo, the noise even scared Link. He fell on the bed in surprise. "Or I will have Wario tickle you until you do so!" As she said this, Wario moved toward Link, wiggling his fingers and smiling evilly.

Link jumped up from where he was, with surprise and fear. "Fine! I'll tell you! The chancellor said that Avalon couldn't marry me because I have pointy ears, so we left. There's a lot more to the story than that though..."

Bow waited patiently for a moment. "Tell me, we have time. Cherry is getting Avalon ready, I'm not needed over there, and you're already dressed. So, divulge to me what's exactly going on or both Wario AND Mallow will tickle you."

Link looked even more frightened. "When I was at the palace a few nights ago, the Chancellor arranged a meeting with me, in which he offered me a large sum of money, if I agreed to leave and never come back. I refused, and he went on to tell me about how he had been paying off all of the men whom had an interest in Avalon. He said that he was afraid I was after her money, and when I asked for her hand in marriage, he offered me even more things, including a piece of the kingdom Avalon dind't even know existed! It's called the Dark Kingdom, or something like that."

Bow shrieked. "That bastard! He has the deed to my land? I had no idea there was even a deed for it..."

"I guess there is!" Link replied. "Please let me finish, since you will have your friends defile me if I don't."

Wario wiggled his fingers. "You're damn right, fairy boy."

Link cringed again. "Um... so after I refused again, he said I couldn't marry Avalon because a neighboring prince had given him ten million to purchase Avalon's hand in marriage. That evening, the new suitor arrived, Avalon and I acted like pigs to get him to leave, and he did. The chancellor was angry with the young queen's actions, so he said she couldn't have the kingdom if she decided to marry me. So, we left, with the chancellor's charge card. I bought a small farm with the money I had, and she used the Chancellor's bank account to get the place remodeled... which I was not happy about, because that is stealing and it makes us as low as he is."

"No, you could NEVER be as low as he is. He kicked his daughter out because she loved someone... that's low. Just because you have different ears, he thinks you're inhuman? That's so... racist."

"I'm not human. I'm Hylian." He announced, proudly.

An awkward silence fell over the room.

"Do Hylians have the same... 'parts' humans do?" Booster questioned.

"What a stupid question. I have seven toes and three eyes like every other human... No, actually, humans and Hylians are virtually the same, except for the ears."

Wario looked down at Link's feet, cautiously. His feet were covered in manly black boots, which laced on the side. "Can I see your... extra toes?"

Link looked at him as if he was an idiot.


	15. Chapter 15

Iluvnintendo

Chapter 15

The sky was a pale orange color, and Link waited patiently at the altar. His bride was on her way, or so Wario had informed him. The nervous groom glanced behind himself at Avalon's odd friends. Wario wore a purple tux with a yellow shirt to match… well, not really but he liked it. Mallow wore a black and white tux like he was supposed to. Bow was nude, but that was okay because she was a ghost. She held a small bouquet of white roses in her small green hands.

A few more minutes passed. Cherry came running up the aisle in her lavender dress and crown of ivory roses. She seemed a bit panicked. "Avalon is gone!"

Link approached Cherry. "What do you mean she's gone?"

"Like I said… she's gone!" She signaled for him to come closer. "I don't want anyone else to hear, but it looks like she's been kidnapped!"

Link grumbled, and pushed his way past Cherry, making his way toward the hotel. "Send everyone home! Doesn't look like it will happen today!" He started to run, fearing the worst.

If he had only known! It had happened again. Leo had come to the Chancellor, and asked for Avalon's hand in marriage. Upon hearing that the princess had been dethroned, and was now no more than a peasant, he went on the hunt. He got word where she was, and had hired some winged Yoshis to fetch her. She hadn't fought; the chlorophyll had stopped her from doing so.

She lay limply across the red velvet chaise in Bowser's palace. She was finally coming out from under the drug's power. She knew where she wa,s but since Bowser was nowhere in site, neither in his human or King Koopa form, she felt fine for the moment.

"You're awake, I am quite happy to see that." Leo appeared from out of nowhere it seemed. He wore black slacks, shining balck boots, a matching silk shirt and a black cape with a hood. "How was your flight? I hope my Yoshis were kind to you."

Avalon sat up. "No they were not! I was getting ready for my wedding, and one of them attacked me, and somehow put me to sleep! You are a very cruel person!" She exclaimed.

"You're quite dense if you're just now noticing that." He paced around her as she sat there, frozen with fear. "You were trying to get married to another man, when you belong to me. You're making me lose my temper!" He announced, as he grabbed her arm. She sqeaked, and tried to wriggle away from his grasp.

"Let me go!" She screamed.

"You need to calm down! I'm not going to hurt you unless you make me angry." He squeezed her arm roughly. "You know I don't want to hurt you, but I just can't help it sometimes. I just find you so lovely in that gown."

Avalon finally freed herself, and fixed her crown of ivory roses. Her dress was strapless, the top had ivory silk roses around it, an empire waist. The dress flowed gently, all of the material was a fine woven white silk. Her slippers were made of matching material.

"And just to think, I saved you from marrying someone below you. He isn't even of noble blood; I, my darling, am a King."

Avalon frowned. "You are nothing but a greedy monster." She replied. "You don't want me to be happy, because you will never be happy yourself. Someday you will find true love, and be happy. Someday you will look back on your actions and feel just horrible!"

He smiled his typical evil smile, showing proudly his four little fangs. "Someday, my darling, but not today, unfortunately for you…"

She slapped his cheek as he came close, and he growled.

"I'm not afraid of you anymore! You… beast!"

He laughed and rubbed his cheek. "You still can't stop me. I like it when you fight back." He grabbed her tightly, and threw her onto the chaise, looming over her. "Fight me!" He yelled, as he started to unbutton his pants.

"Why should I fight? I won't win." She replied. "And if you enjoy it when I fight, why should I?" She remarked, as he started to kiss her neck gently.

The two wooden doors in the room flung open, and a fat little koopa ran in. "Your highness, the grand chancellor from the mushroom kingdom is here."

Leo pulled himself off of Avalon and refastened his pants. "Soon, you will be mine. The chancellor is signing the kingdom over to me. You are property of the kingdom, and soon you will be my property too."

Avalon sat up, and ran to the window, looking out at everything. She had escaped his palace many times before. She could do it again easily.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

No, perhaps she wouldn't run away. She turned toward Leo as he left. "I will accompany you."

He sneered at her. "You can't, you little troublemaker. I don't know what your plan is, but you're going to stay here like a good girl."

"I'm not a girl, I am your queen, and I have every right to be present when you do business." She replied, holding her head up high and standing toe-to-toe with him.

"You aren't my queen, I'm taking another girl as queen, and I actually love her. You are for other purposes." He snapped. "So you will stay here and keep your mouth fastened." Upon seeing the look of horror on her face, he put his hands on her shoulders. "You did this to yourself, you're a curse to your kingdom, and everyone you come in contact with. If you would have just accepted my proposal, maybe you would still have some say in what happens to your people, right?"

She wiped her eyes, and turned away, heading back to the chaise to sit and wait in silence. Leo's boots touched the floor gently as he exited. The door slammed and there was silence.

She lay there and thought of everything… if she weren't such a brat, maybe she wouldn't have put her kingdom in such peril. The kingdom she worked so hard to make the most prosperous and safe in the land.

"Ever heard of split personalities?" The door opened; a dark blue yoshi with red hair, and decked in spiked apparel waddled out. "Leo is cruel, unfeeling, and in love with his queen to be. He wants to make you miserable… Bowser loves you; he wants you to marry him because he thinks it will make you happy… He wants you to be happy."

"Are you one of the…. Creeps who brought me here?" She asked.

"How? I have no wings." He snapped. "I was just going to help you, but forget it, if you're going to be such a bitch then…"

Avalon stood up. "How dare you call me that!"

The yoshi backed up a bit. "Whoa, simmer down…! I wasn't calling you one. I was saying you were acting like one. See ya later."

He turned to leave, and she stood, following him. "Okay, I'm sorry I was so abrupt, but why would you want to help me?"

The yoshi nodded sadly. "Because Bowser is my best friend. By the way, my name is Boshi." He paused. "Well when the star rod was stolen by Bowser a few months back, he made a silly wish… to be human. Of course the King Koopa is more dominant, so it wasn't completely abolished. Instead, he's half king koopa and half human… when he's King Koopa, he slacks off as king and doesn't care about much other than looking at pictures of you and sobbing. When he's human he's a good king to the peasants but treats his underlings terrible. He fired me because I wasn't… mean enough."

Avalon was silent. "So, I should avoid him when he's human?"

Boshi gave her the thumbs up. "That's for a start. Remember, Bowser by day, and Leo by night. His new queen doesn't even know he and Bowser are the same… Leo said that Bowser was his older, very depressed brother…"

She felt somewhat sad for the big beast. Perhaps that's why he hadn't been attacking? He had lost the desire to. "But I can't let him keep my kingdom… He'll do awful things!"

"No he won't. His queen won't let him. She loves you."

Avalon seemed confused. "She loves me?"

"He's marrying your sister… Cherry."

The princess went silent and hung her head. "Ah, I see…"

The yoshi looked out the window. "You need to get rid of Leo. You have to."

Avalon sat down and started to cry softly.

"You need to stop being such a wuss. We need someone brave to do this; someone efficient too. The Leo side is starting to appear before sunset… it quite possibly could be taking over the Bowser side…"

She dried her eyes. "I'm just so sad… I left my fiancée at the altar."

"I can… see that." He paced about the room for a moment. "He must have figured out you were kidnapped by now… But forget him for now, okay? You need to get back to your palace and get the star relics before he does. You need to go to star haven and plead with the spirits to revoke his wish."

She fell silent. "I'll try my best."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Leo was done for the evening. His queen was quite sad, as she sat in his lap.

"My deamon, what's the matter?" he asked, as he put his finger to her chin so he could look in her eyes.

"My sister is missing… I think your brother kidnapped her again. He took her right from the wedding…"

Leo had just put two and two together. "Your sister is Peach? You never told me that." He remarked, as he tried to sound casual. Of course, it didn't come out casual. It came out nervous… "I mean, not like it matters."

"Yeah, it does! Your brother is a big ugly jerk, he needs to stop making her miserable."

Leo grumbled something incoherent, and put Cherry down gently. "You're right. Perhaps he should die."

Cherry shook her head. "No, he just needs to be nicer… He needs to let my sister be happy, as happy as I am." She embraced him warmly, and he held her close.

"She lost the kingdom now… Now she's not royalty any longer. Now she's a peasant."

Cherry squeezed him lovingly. "But you'll fix that. You can force the chancellor to give her the kingdom back. You're good at intimidating people. It's your best feature..."

Leo pushed her away gently, but it still hurt her, at least her feelings. "Is that all you think of me as? A bully?" He demanded. "I have other qualities. I'm a nice person."

"No you aren't, but that's why I love you. You're very nice to me. You treat me wonderfully."

He sneered. "I could be nice if I wanted to. You know I could…"

"It doesn't matter to me, okay?" She announced. "Just forget it, we're fighting over something that's completely meaningless… what's bothering you?" She demanded.

"Nothing… I need to go lay down." He snapped as he left the room and slammed the door.

Cherry sat on the throne in silence. She loved him, but hated his little tantrums…

A pair of para-troopas carried Avalon back to her old home, and dropped her off gently in the front of the double doors. She was quite surprised when she walked inside. Link was there.

He scooped her up in his arms and held her tightly. "You're okay. I was so worried. Bowser couldn't be found anywhere…Leo's even been looking for you. He's inside the throne room with your sister…" Link paused. "Why did you run away?"

She shook her head. "I didn't. Leo sent winged Yoshis to fetch me. They took me to his palace… two paratroops just dropped me off…"

Link put her down gently. "Go take back your kingdom. Leo purchased it, and now he wants to give it back. All he wants is a few things from your relic room."

"I can't do that! He must have talked to Boshi… but why would Boshi tell?"

"Boshi? What? I don't understand what you're going on about…"

Avalon was already running up the stairs. She stopped when she reached the third floor, and looked over the railing down at Link. "I love you, Link, and I will, no matter what."

He was confused, but decided to wait where he was for his queen-to-be to return.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Avalon fell to her knees in the middle of the ritual room floor. She was surrounded by all of the relics the star spirits had given to the various members of her royal family. These ornaments helped her communicate with the star spirits.

Honeysuckle incense burned at all four corners of the room, and she wore the crown of the spirits. It was a simple tiara with star shaped jewels in all seven colors of the star pieces. "My star spirits, please hear my plea. Everything will be destroyed if something isn't done… this will be the very last time I call upon you for help."

Silence, as usual… "Please light the way for me to come see you in person… I will hurry… I won't keep you long."

The candles placed about the room all began to light with different colors. "My child, come alone, you have one hour to get to star haven." A voice whispered gently. She thanked them with silence, and put on the rest of the ornaments.

With the staff of the spirits in hand, she left the palace as quickly as she could. Nobody saw her leave as the ensemble of gold and jewels traced the night sky. She didn't want to leave Link hanging like that, but she had to make sure she got there without interruption…

She ran through the small town; all of the toads had gone to bed long ago. She flew past the entrance to the forest, and up the small path leading to Star Hill. A few glowing star-shaped flowers lit the way for her.

The accessories she wore were quite heavy, so she had to rest for just one minute. She sat on a small rock overlooking an even smaller pond. She stared at her own reflection for a moment. Her hair was all ready for her wedding day, which would probably never come. No use being pessimistic… she stood and straightened the tiara, and necklace, made sure her earrings and belt were still there, and held the staff carefully as she continued up the step-like rocks.

"You sneaky little beast!" Leo called from behind her. She started to walk even quicker. It wasn't much farther ahead. "Don't you go up there!"

She had reached the first summit. She turned and watched him struggling to climb. He would never be able to do it without the stairs being there. They only appeared for the person who held the staff, and those accompanying that person.

"Goodbye Leo, may we never meet again." She announced, as she watched him scrambling, yet getting nowhere.

"I won't die, don't you understand that? I am half of Bowser. I'm the smarter, stronger half! Your spirits can't stop me!"

"They gave you the power, and they can take it away."

He growled and threw a rock at the spot she was before. Now she was almost to the top, she never saw his cowardice shot.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

How angry Leo was! If she were to destroy him, he would kill someone she loved before he went.

Of course! That Link… what a troublemaker… he had to go.

Link was in the throne room, fighting with the chancellor. Leo had just gotten back from his short trip. Cherry had gone upstairs to lay down for a bit. She was feeing quite exhausted from all of the day's excitement, and knew she could rest easy knowing her little sister was home safe.

Leo drew his sword and entered the throne room. Keeping his weapon hidden under his cloak, he approached Link. The chancellor was a mouthy old man. Link was patient, but still very argumentive.

"She was BORN into monarchy! It's rightfully hers! That seems pretty simple to me!"

The chancellor pushed his glasses up on his nose. "She is not to marry unless I approve of him. She ran away, which proves how horrible of a queen she will be for our kingdom. Whenever there is trouble, she runs. It's happened before. She's not strong… she's not going to be queen, ever. Her sister Cherry will make a fine queen, and Leo will make a good king."

"You just don't like it when Avalon stands up to your tyranny. You want someone you can easily break. I admit, the rightful queen is very spoiled, a bit of a brat, but I love her, and that doesn't matter. She treats her people fairly, and she has more than enough intelligence to run the kingdom. In fact, she's the most intelligent woman I've ever met… a bit naive but VERY smart nonetheless."

"That girl has never had a chance to run the kingdom. I do all the work, while she looks pretty, and I admit she does a fine job at that, but it won't make her kingdom prosperous."

Leo took his sword out from under his cloak and jabbed toward Link violently. Link sidestepped it easily, and drew his own.

"You are a sad fellow; to stab someone in the back? That is the sure sign a man feels beaten, when he tries to do the cowardice thing."

Leo snorted. "Your wench went to star hill, and is making a wish to have me destroyed. I want to take you with me."

Link swung his sword sharply, and hit Leo's sword. It dropped from his hands and fell silently. "You deserve to have your tongue cut out for what you said about my bride. She is a princess, not a wench. Withdraw your comment." Link paused, and breathed in, trying to calm his anger. "And as for you taking me with you, it won't happen. You will go alone, and burn in the fires of the hell you created for yourself."

Leo turned to find his sword, and he did… It was driven into the chancellor's chest. The chancellor lay in the middle of the floor, unmoving… "Damn you! You ruined everything! That old man was the only one who knew where the deeds to the kingdoms were!"

Link smirked. "I doubt that."

Leo was a bit confused, but shrugged it off. This jerk, how could he possibly know anything? Unless of course, his bride-to-be knew where they were. "So she knows, does she? Well she won't come back from her little trip. Some of the relics that ensure safe passage were counterfeit… I have the real ones hidden away."

Link dove at Leo's throat and choked him violently. "Then why are you so worried about her destroying you? You liar!"

Leo struggled, and finally pried the angry hylian's hands away. "She can get there and make the wish, but she won't come back alive. Maybe you should have read that stupid book before you started interfering!"

Link growled again, and stared at Leo. The two of them were now on the floor, each one glaring at the other. "Maybe you should take your own advice into account. You have a queen, why must you make Avalon miserable?"

Leo smirked slightly. "It's in my nature. It's the very reason I was born. I was born to get Bowser what he wants, and what he wants is Peach. He needed a clean slate, and here I am… Unfortunately I also failed at making her love me, so she must be destroyed."

Link sat up. "You know that's not what Bowser wants."

Leo started to laugh. "I am Bowser. I know what I want."

"You aren't Bowser, you're someone who wants to be so desperately that it's driven him insane."

"Perhaps I am insane, but I still will get my way, won't I? I will die but my koopa half will grow more powerful. You and Peach will die tonight. Bowser will get everything he wants. I will get everything I want. I will win." Leo had removed the sword form the Chancellor's body, and tossed it to Link as he stood.

He called out of the room. "Guards! The chancellor has been murdered! I saw it with my own eyes!"

At word of this, four toads ran in, wielding armor and spears. Link didn't fight. The toads grabbed him by his arms, and lead him down to the dungeon with no restraints. In truth, the toads really liked Link.

They knew that he didn't kill the chancellor, and even if he had, there must have been a good reason.

Link's cell was small and sterile. The walls were stone, a small cot in one corner with a pillow and a few blankets, and a window with bars across it. It looked like there was also a small bathroom through another doorway opposite the cot. A small desk was built from stone and out of the wall. Upon it, some paper, a pen, and a few other things to keep him entertained.

"You'll be free soon." One of the guards announced. "In the meantime, if there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask."

Link inspected the small room, the turned to the guard. "Actually, there is a favor I have of you. The deeds to the kingdom are in the princess's old room in a small box under her bed. Please move them back into the safe in the treasure room, and make sure Leo doesn't gain access there."

The toad nodded. "Anything for the future king…"

Link sat on the cot and waited patiently for his love to return and have him cleared of his convictions.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

She had finally reached the large golden gates that lead into star haven. As she neared, the way opened, and she was lifted and carried upwards by unseen forces. High up into the sky… a few minutes passed, and now she was in a small deserted village… starflowers bloomed and glowed almost joyfully, while a small stream of pure water seemed tranquil.

Silence filled the soft scented air. The ground was white sand, which was so soft it was like walking on silk-threads. She took off her shoes as a sign of respect to the citizens of star haven.

Humans were rarely allowed here. One time Mario was allowed. Before him, no human had set foot in star haven in hundreds of years. Then again, every once in awhile, a human would die and become a star spirit. The princess's mother was in transition, waiting for a star spirit to retire so she could take their place.

The star spirits looked completely human, but were actually a type of angel. The women had wings of the color they represented, feathered and birdlike, while the men had sleek gray ones like shark fins… currently there were three women and four men. On the dark spirit side, which was a completely different place, there were four women and three men.

The spirits were very fond of Avalon. She was one of the only four beings living in the land below that had the mark of the spirits. Avalon and Link had the good mark, while Cherry and Bowser had the bad. Cherry's mark was fading, however, so soon she would be neither.

"You've got three minutes to spare!" A star kid chirped and smiled at Avalon. She had never been to star haven before, and she was lost.

"Which way do I go?" She asked, sounding a bit worried.

"Up to the top area, and straight ahead on the stairs." He shimmered, as all the star kids did, and watched until she was out of sight. "Good luck your highness."

As she stood in the hall of the great spirits, they were not visible at the moment, for she was a mortal.

"It is I, Queen Avalon of the Mushroom Kingdom! I have just one favor to beg of you! I know how to make everything right again. I want Bowser to be as kind and noble as Geno, and Leo to be silenced as King Wart is."

She waited in silence. It lasted a few minutes but it seemed like an eternity. Seven forms appeared from the darkness. They all looked stern and were human.

One of the star spirits was a woman with white hair, and a tranquil colored blue dress. She was the only one who approached the nervous princess.

"Your wish will be granted." Her eyes shimmered a white-silver as she grabbed the princess's staff and snapped it in two violently. "However, your relics are counterfeit. I'm not sure how you will get home safe."

The queen seemed a bit confused. "No! They can't be fake! I had them locked in the ritual room! I've never even moved them since the day I got them! How can it be?"

The spirit in the blue dress was the only one who would talk to the princess. "I hope you get home safe, your highness, but this is your last wish. We cannot make it so."

She nodded. "I thank you for letting me come before you, and as long as my people prosper, I don't care what happens to me at all."

The woman smiled at her kindly. "If you make it back home, you have earned another wish through your unselfishness and loyalty to us. Now hurry home while you still can…"

So as if she had fire at her heels, she ran down the stairs. This was the spot where the spirits had carried her up with their unseen powers. A gentle wind pushed at her, and she fell down the crevice and into the warm soft arms of Geno.

She blinked in surprise. "Geno? You're human!"

He smiled. "Yes, I am. I was granted a wish after fixing the star road. I am a Star Spirit to be, and I will escort you safely home."

She fell asleep from the magic the star spirits cast as they granted her wish. Her memories of Star Haven were washed away, as the memories of everything that had happened in the past six months.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Everything was back to as normal as it would be. The kingdom was at peace, every mind that had been affected was cleansed. Link had escaped to some unknown place, and the lovely princess rested in her bed.

Peace would never be known in the kingdom. Somehow everyone knew it but they still kept the dream alive.

Those who had died during the battle remained dead. The Chancellor's murder was now a mystery, and the guards didn't have the heart to tell the princess what had happened.

Geno's watchful eyes would keep her safe for the time being. But something painfully ripped through his body; a rage he had never felt, a strange desire… he tore himself away from her land and headed back to star haven.

A small golden scroll was brought to the doorman, a fat little toad. When she woke up, she would be shocked by the contents of the message.

NEXT STORY COMING SOON! Look out for:

King of Glitzville


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